Apple is getting real with augmented reality

Apple CEO Tim Cook once said, “I think that AR is that big. It’s huge.” He believes that augmented reality has the potential to change the lives of people, just as the smartphone did.

Now, a new report from Bloomberg shares details regarding Apple’s plans in the field of AR. Reportedly, Apple has assembled a team of experienced hardware and software engineers, while also tapping in a few "talented outsiders." The group is led by a former Dolby Laboratories executive and consists of engineers who have been employed with Oculus and HoloLens respectively.

Additionally, the company’s next version of the iPhone might arrive with a ton of new AR features. These include the ability to change the depth of a photograph after it was taken, the ability to isolate and manipulate an object in an image, and adding virtual masks to faces, as seen on Snapchat or Facebook-owned Masquerade, stated Bloomberg.

Apart from this, Apple intends to make AR glasses as well. It is being said that the glasses will also require a new operating system and perhaps even a new chip. However, Bloomberg noted that ‘building glasses will be harder.’ As the device will have to transfer 3D content to the glasses, it would consume a lot of its power.

This news comes after KGI analyst Ming Chi-Kuo stated that the new iPhone’s front-facing camera will work in tandem with an infrared sensor to create a 3D image of your face, which might be used in an AR context.