Tech - News
Tim Cook Just Teased Apple's Next Big Device
By ROB RICH
It’s been rumored for months that Apple has been working on an Augmented Reality / Mixed Reality (AR / MR) combo headset, but reportedly the device experienced delays that could push its release to 2023 or even later. In an interview with China Daily, Apple CEO Tim Cook let slip that Apple is most certainly working with AR, and very likely something grander than software.
At first, Cook spoke about software and noted the myriad ARKit apps in the App Store, but then said, “I couldn't be more excited about the opportunities we've seen in this space, and sort of stay tuned and you'll see what we have to offer.” This at least confirms that something more tangible than ARKit development tools is still in the works, though it provides little else.
Most of the details that have been spilled on Apple's AR / MR headset (possibly named "Apple Glass") are based on investor reports and analyst estimates, rather than confirmed specs from Apple itself. That said, the headset will likely be positioned alongside other high-end hardware (i.e. phones and computers) rather than peripherals (i.e. earbuds).
Apple breaking into the augmented reality market could have a huge impact on AR and VR as a whole, not only prompting a hardware arms race with the likes of Meta, Valve, and HTC but also dealing a potential blow to Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Standards Forum. The latter aims to get large tech companies working together on a single, smoothly operating “Metaverse.”
The standards forum mainly focuses on getting Metaverse-related tech working together smoothly, so Apple deciding to just do its own thing would not be out of character. Several large names like Meta, Sony, Epic Games, Qualcomm, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Unity are already on board — but the absence of a major player like Apple would be a huge blow to Meta's plans.