TechInsider suggests Apple is exploring the possibilities of virtual and augmented Reality, also known as VR/AR. They support this theory with several moves Apple has made over the last several months. If true, Apple would be competing with other VR tech from the likes of Samsung and Oculus.
VR has been around for a long time, but it’s made strides since its inception. Augmented Reality is a bit newer, a technology that places virtual objects in the real world. TechInsider claims many believe a wearable device combining virtual and augmented reality technology could replace computing as we know it. It’s also beyond 3D technology which makes objects pop out at the viewer. Virtual reality technology “tricks” people into thinking they are seeing the real world. It’s much more immersive than 3D technology.
Apple has acquired many companies and talented people who have worked closely with AR/VR technology in the past. Many of those, outlined below, make it clear Apple has something regarding virtual reality up their sleeve.
In May of last year, Apple acquired and dismantled a German company, Metaio. They made AR apps, most notably one to help see what IKEA furniture would look like in a potential shopper’s living room. Another app helps travelers see where and how the Berlin Wall looked like during the Cold War. As you can see, AR technology has a lot of potential uses in everyday life, many to educate and inform the user.
Nick Thompson was an audio engineer for Microsoft’s HoloLense, which is a VR device, for two years. He signed on to work with Apple last year, but there’s not yet an official title. While it’s unclear what Nick might be doing for Apple, the assumption is he is working closely with Apple’s VR technology.
PrimeSense, an Israeli company Apple purchased two years ago, helped develop the Kinect camera for Xbox 360. The company focuses on motion sensing camera development. TechInsider says that gesture recognition is important for an AR device, something PrimeSense could easily design.
Anyone see “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”? The film uses technology designed by FaceShift, a company Apple bought at the end of last year. FaceShift has, “…technology that uses cameras to analyze a person’s face in real time. It can also be used to create animated virtual avatars.”
Finally, there are Apple Patent filings suggesting the company is considering developing VR and AR tech. In February 2015, Apple was granted a patent for a VR/AR headset that connects to the iPhone.” It’s similar to what is being developed by Google, Microsoft, Samsung, and Facebook. Should Apple make such a device, iPhone, iPad, and Mac users could possibly enjoy new exciting apps like never before. It would be a good move and should help advance VR/AR innovation.
It seems like everyone is jumping on the virtual and augmented reality bandwagon. Apple could inspire new innovations with this technology should the company decide to join in. As always, all that is known are rumors and uncertainty. Even so, it’s fun to imagine what new avenues Apple could explore with virtual and augmented reality technology.
Learn More: Apple May Go Virtual Reality Crazy in 2016