Apple plans an AR platform to deliver next-gen applications

I don’t expect they will look like this pair of Apple glasses the company produced in the last century

Are you experienced? In the AR/VR space, probably not too much, but while others intend designing consumer-focused ‘experiences’ in which users swap privacy for delight, Apple plans a platform developers can extend with valuable applications to make life better while keeping private by design (hopefully).

I know which side I’m on

We know Apple has been developing these things for years and years and years. We also know the company’s modus operandii – Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch – nearly all of its devices become sibling platforms. Even iPod eventually became a platform, albeit a limited one. Apple Glass (or whatever it will be named) will do precisely the same.

Apple plans platforms. The experience it designs is the user experience.

What happens on those platforms is designed by others (though it will develop some).

That’s why industry watchers have paid such close attention to Apple’s work in machine vision intelligence, ARKit, sensor and processor design. We knew that these would be among the basket of technologies the company will dip into as it develops its ‘Mac as sunglasses’ AR goggles.

But we didn’t really know.

Building a ‘new application paradigm’

Until today.

Apple has published a new recruitment ad seeking a developer to research and develop “an entirely new application paradigm – a challenge that will demand rapid experimentation and prototyping without sacrificing code quality or attention to detail.”

Which sounds like building a platform to me, as does the full recruitment ad:

“Apple’s Technology Development Group is seeking a Software Engineer to help architect and implement networking frameworks and APIs for our next-generation interactive computing platforms. This engineer will enhance the capabilities and performance of AR/VR systems through the development of distributed systems, and a broad range of applications, including machine learning, computer vision, and multimedia processing. As a member of our creative organization, you will have a uniquely rewarding opportunity to craft future products that will delight and inspire millions of people every single day.”

Apple is expected to introduce its first gen. AR goggles in late 2022, possibly pre-announcing the product at WWDC as it attempts to inspire developers to build solutions for its new platform. We’ve seen reports claiming Apple intends bringing it to market as a gaming device, and it may (given doing so would let it leverage Apple Arcade), though I really believe the best place for the device will eventually emerge in the enterprise.

The company is expected to continue to iterate the design with a more sophisticated system expected in 2025 aimed for daily use.

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