Apple Augmented Reality Platform: Patents, Rumors, Apps & All We Know So Far

An analyst has recently claimed that Apple has a small team working on what could be the company's next big vision: Augmented Reality.

MacRumors took note of Gene Munster's claim, a Piper Jaffray analyst, who said, "While it is limited, we believe Apple has a small team of engineers exploring augmented reality applications."

"We believe that at the core, the group is likely trying to understand a wearable interface that design would ultimately make fashionable/socially acceptable," the analyst went on.

For quite some time, AR and VR platforms have dominated headlines: there's the Oculus Rift, Sony's Project Morpheus, Microsoft's HoloLens, HTC and Valve's Vive and the Google-funded Magic Leap. It may be safe to expect more springing in the near future.

While Apple is said to be testing waters, Munster had to clarify, "At this point, we believe it is difficult to determine if or when these experiments might yield a product."

Nevertheless, this may not be the Cupertino giant's first associations with augmented reality. As told by MacRumors, the company has allowed developers to launch augmented reality apps on the App Store about six years ago.

The outlet also cited a March 2014 report, which talked about Apple's plans of integrating AR features to Maps.

International Business Times cited Apple patents that date back as far as 2006. Interestingly, these papers are said to be experiments not only with augmented reality, but virtual technology as well.

For those who may not know, Virtual Reality (VR) is the creation of a virtual world where interactions are made possible; nothing is physically real here. Augmented Reality (AR), on the other hand, is described as the merging of real and virtual worlds. Simply put, users become aware of their physical environment when interacting with the latter.

In November 2014, Apple is believed to have posted a job listing for app engineers knowledgeable and experienced with 3D graphics, Bidness Etc noted. These graphics are reportedly linked to the development of virtual and augmented reality products.

Perhaps these kinds of innovation are better appreciated by techies more than regular customers. Google Glass, for instance, has been made available for consumers, but the Tech Times said the product has been more of an experimentation than mass production.

Of course, note that the wearable had to sell with a $1,500 price tag, on top of restrictions it had to deal with.

What do you think about Apple setting foot on augmented reality? Will it stand a chance on consumer success? We'd love to hear your thoughts below.