Apple has never been about spearheading the 'next big wave'. It's modus operandi has always been step in late, but do it right.
VR as I see it now isn't any where close to being the big wave that people are anticipating it to be. I think we still need a bunch more computing power and time before it has any chance of disrupting anything.
Even then I doubt Apple will get into VR. Apple is very elitist when it comes to adopting industry standardds. That hasn't stopped it from getting a good foothold in the personal computing market. But it did pretty much kill Apple's chance at making money in the hardcore gaming sector. Which I think will happen again with VR.
I, for one, anticipate it being a big wave - perhaps even the biggest after smartphones. I think it's what comes next. And I for one wouldn't miss the era of walking around poking our index fingers at 5" screens. I do hope that there are senior folks at Apple thinking the same, because I think Apple has the resources to do VR well.
Flying cars are what comes next after cars, and that's been going on for several decades now isn't it?
VR does have great potential, but not as it is right now. IBM and Xerox have put in a lot of money then in a lot of things. And Google is throwing money at several things too. But seldom do the big wave things pan out as expected when we want them to.
Some things require major scientific or technological breakthroughs. Other things just require smart people and people with money willing to take a chance on them. Flying cars falls into the former (needs battery breakthrough). I think VR falls into the latter.