Apple CEO Tim Cook seems to have confirmed that his company is working on some kind of AR device – the first time any Apple exec has talked about its AR hardware projects publicly.
Speaking to China Daily USA, Tim Cook was asked about what AR headsets and products need to consider to be successful. In his response, Cook said that “putting humanity at the center of it” should be the priority of any successful tech product.
He then went on to explain Apple's current approach to software in the newly forming AR technology sector and said, "I couldn't be more excited about the opportunities we've seen in this space.
"Stay tuned and you'll see what we have to offer."
While Cook hasn't outright said Apple's working on the Apple AR/VR headset or equally long-rumored Apple AR Glasses specifically, he's definitely hinted that Apple is working on some kind of hardware with his comment.
Alongside AR experiences for its iPhone and iPad devices, Apple is rumored to be working on two pieces of dedicated AR hardware.
The first is a headset that will be similar to Meta's Project Cambria device. It would offer a more premium experience than the likes of the Quest 2 and would be designed to deliver AR as well as VR.
The second device is a pair of AR glasses. These so-called Apple Glasses would likely be more feature-heavy than the Nreal Air AR glasses available today – perhaps something more akin to Google Glass (though Apple likely hopes they'll be more successful).
We'll have to wait for Apple to make a more definitive announcement before we know exactly what tricks it has up its sleeves. Nothing was announced at WWDC 2022, but with a 2023 launch rumored for its AR/VR headset Apple, there's hopefully not too much longer left to wait. Based on the excited grin we could see creeping onto Tim Cook's face during the interview, we might be in for a real treat when Apple finally does reveal what it's been working on.
