Chris Tuite | AFP | Getty Images Apple CEO Tim Cook recently gave the closest confirmation that Apple is making headphones. Cook was asked in a recent interview with China Daily USA what he believes are the key factors for the success of augmented reality or AR in the consumer market. “I’m incredibly excited about AR, as you probably know. And the crucial thing about any technology, including AR, is to put humanity at the center,” he said, echoing comments he made in the past about how important AR for the Company. He went on to describe Apple’s work in the field so far, which has focused on AR applications on the iPhone and iPad, before adding: “But I think we are still in the early stages of how this technology will evolve. more excited about the opportunities we have seen in this area and stay tuned and you will see what we have to offer. “ AR or “mixed reality” describes technology that transcends computer-generated images over real-world views, as opposed to virtual reality or VR, which completely immerses the viewer in a computer-generated world. It’s one of the clearest examples that Cook has recognized that Apple has something bigger in the works. While current applications may be useful for things like mapping a room or finding out if a new piece of furniture can fit, it seems more likely that Apple has created the library and tools for developers to create applications for something like headphones. . Bloomberg said in May that Apple had recently shown the AR / VR headset to Apple’s board and that the company plans to announce it as early as the end of this year, although it could be moved to next year. The same report stated that Apple plans to sell the headphones in 2023. Apple would respond to a number of other major tech companies, notably Meta, which changed its name from Facebook last year to signaling a renewed focus on immersing users in virtual worlds known as “metaverse” and Microsoft, which first introduced the Hololens AR glasses in 2016.
