Apple CEO Tim Cook just admitted it IS working on AR technology

Vaughn Highfield August 15, 2016

As with the Apple Car, people have been talking about Apple VR for years now. Ever since the launch of the Oculus Rift Kickstarter and the subsequent announcements of other manufacturers joining the space, we’ve wondered what Apple was up to. Yesterday we finally got our first indication of what Apple’s plans were.

Apple CEO Tim Cook just admitted it IS working on AR technology

In an interview with The Washington Post, Apple boss Tim Cook said that Apple is “doing a lot of things” in the augmented-reality space. In fact, he thinks of it as a “core technology” for the company.

“I think AR is extremely interesting and sort of a core technology,” he states in the interview. “So, yes, it’s something we’re doing a lot of things on behind that curtain we talked about”.

If Apple is working on an AR device, it’s likely all those rumours around a virtual-reality headset may actually be for an AR headset instead. Perhaps that’s been Apple’s plan all along, or maybe they changed tack part way through, it’s really anybody’s guess.

This isn’t the first time that Cook has expressed Apple’s interest in augmented reality, but this is the first time he’s explicitly said it was happening. Is this an indication of an impending announcement? With Microsoft’s AR-based HoloLens now available to with deep pockets, Apple could be readying itself for an unveiling.

We already know Apple has the technology to build powerful computers with small logic boards – all you have to do is look at the MacBook or even the iPhone 6s. Using the same technology to shrink down components for those devices, Apple could easily integrate one into a headset akin to HoloLens and have a powerful device on its hands. However, it would need to create a new OS and way to interact with its augmented world, and that could be a bigger task than simply creating a stylish headset.