Apple crafting 'new application paradigm' for AR and VR experiences

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited December 2021
Apple is recruiting software engineers for what it describes as helping to create "next-generation interactive computing platforms," using Apple AR and VR.

Apple AR in use at Apple Park
Apple AR in use at Apple Park


As expectations grow that Apple will soon announce an AR/VR headset -- and that it will be a "game changer" -- the company is looking further into the future. Apple's jobs site has included a new AR/VR role, and the company has taken the unusual step of also calling out for recruits through Twitter.

My team at Apple is hiring AR/VR framework engineers with a focus on multi-user systems.

If you want to make a big impact on the next generation of computing platforms please reach out.https://t.co/YZNLbGkRtb

-- Hayden Lee (@HaydenLee37)


"You will be researching and developing an entirely new application paradigm," says the full job posting, "- a challenge that will demand rapid experimentation and prototyping without sacrificing code quality or attention to detail."

This is one role, based in Cupertino, rather than Apple recruiting multiple people. The listing is also one of 65 current job openings in Apple's AR/VR division.

The tweet, and the new role, come as Hayden Lee became Apple's AR/VR Software Engineer Manager in October 2021. Prior to that, he spent around 14 months as a software engineer in the company, and previously co-founded two virtual reality firms, Bigscreen VR and Convrge.

Separately, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now reported that Apple's first AR headset will weigh just less than a pound.

Read on AppleInsider

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    swat671swat671 Posts: 150member
    One thing I'm still interested to see is some sort of Apple version of Microsofts' Photosynth from about 15 years ago. It allowed you to take photos of an area, and it would processes them into a 3D model in the computer using photogrammetry. With a powerful smartphone that happens to have LIDAR, it should be easy to do something similar now. 
  • Reply 2 of 8
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,295member
    The paradigm construct here is going to be more important than the details IMHO, since public resistance to devices like this is huge (outside of gamers and pervs).  Note the tepid and hostile reactions to Google Glass and FB’s Meta concepts).
  • Reply 3 of 8
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,326moderator
    swat671 said:
    One thing I'm still interested to see is some sort of Apple version of Microsofts' Photosynth from about 15 years ago. It allowed you to take photos of an area, and it would processes them into a 3D model in the computer using photogrammetry. With a powerful smartphone that happens to have LIDAR, it should be easy to do something similar now. 
    There are 3rd party apps that can do this capturing, it's neat how it can drop the capture directly into AR for viewing next to the real object:



    These apps could use some smoothing/filling techniques to clean up the models a bit. That can always be done manually after capture but using some machine learning, it could do it in real-time.
    The tweet, and the new role, come as Hayden Lee became Apple's AR/VR Software Engineer Manager in October 2021. Prior to that, he spent around 14 months as a software engineer in the company, and previously co-founded two virtual reality firms, Bigscreen VR and Convrge.

    Separately, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has now reported that Apple's first AR headset will weigh just less than a pound. 
    Looking at the Convrge site, they have a few images of standard VR hardware:

    https://www.convrge.co





    The PSVR in the second image weights 1.3lbs. A few others are closer to 1lb so this is probably why that weight is mentioned by Kuo, it's an obvious assumption that it will be lighter than the lightest available VR headset.

    I think this kind of hardware is way too bulky for an Apple product.
    FileMakerFellerOutdoorAppDeveloper
  • Reply 4 of 8
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,420member
    swat671 said:
    One thing I'm still interested to see is some sort of Apple version of Microsofts' Photosynth from about 15 years ago. It allowed you to take photos of an area, and it would processes them into a 3D model in the computer using photogrammetry. With a powerful smartphone that happens to have LIDAR, it should be easy to do something similar now. 
    There are several 3D scanner apps that use the iPhone/iPad LiDAR sensors for years now. Have you even looked?

    Also, did you miss Apple adding Object Capture in RealityKit at this year's WWDC?
    https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2021/10076/


  • Reply 5 of 8
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,420member
    Marvin said:
    The PSVR in the second image weights 1.3lbs. A few others are closer to 1lb so this is probably why that weight is mentioned by Kuo, it's an obvious assumption that it will be lighter than the lightest available VR headset.

    I think this kind of hardware is way too bulky for an Apple product.
    PSVR is 5 years old now. PSVR2 should be out sometime next year (hopefully) and should be much more compact.
  • Reply 6 of 8
    OutdoorAppDeveloperOutdoorAppDeveloper Posts: 1,293member
    fastasleep said:
    Marvin said:
    The PSVR in the second image weights 1.3lbs. A few others are closer to 1lb so this is probably why that weight is mentioned by Kuo, it's an obvious assumption that it will be lighter than the lightest available VR headset.

    I think this kind of hardware is way too bulky for an Apple product.
    PSVR is 5 years old now. PSVR2 should be out sometime next year (hopefully) and should be much more compact.
    The PSVR2 is designed for full VR experiences while seated or standing. It should be lighter and more compact than the original PSVR but will still be a lot more bulky than Apple's AR headset. All of which is fine.
  • Reply 7 of 8
    fastasleepfastasleep Posts: 6,420member
    OutdoorAppDeveloper said:
    fastasleep said:
    Marvin said:
    The PSVR in the second image weights 1.3lbs. A few others are closer to 1lb so this is probably why that weight is mentioned by Kuo, it's an obvious assumption that it will be lighter than the lightest available VR headset.

    I think this kind of hardware is way too bulky for an Apple product.
    PSVR is 5 years old now. PSVR2 should be out sometime next year (hopefully) and should be much more compact.
    The PSVR2 is designed for full VR experiences while seated or standing. It should be lighter and more compact than the original PSVR but will still be a lot more bulky than Apple's AR headset. All of which is fine.
    Of course AR headsets are going to be smaller than VR headsets, for multiple obvious reasons.
    williamlondonrezwits
  • Reply 8 of 8
    rezwitsrezwits Posts: 879member
    You know what's great?

    I just read this HYPER-FUELED rant, about how Macs suck at gaming on AppleInsider.  Again for like, oh what guys?  The 3,000th time?
    LOL SICK

    So, I kept scrolling and came across this piece.  You know what I just realized?  Now I already realized, that Apple is gonna crush Meta, but what donned on me with THIS piece is:

    Apple is going to utterly destroy the AR/VR mind space by 2030, and at that time when the smoke has cleared, we will be getting our 1st pair of prescription glasses filled by Apple, and walking outside and talking with people in ways no one could have imagined... every topic of discussion every word at our fingertips ("eye-tips").

    But AR/VR gaming for 5+ years is gonna be amazing!!  Can't wait!  I don't care about PC gaming or even console gaming, I mean how many FPSes@60fps do we need?

    This is gonna be awesome!!  Man, I can't wait to get my new "Apple Goggles" and develop!!  And not to mention create my own AR pair of Apple Glasses for when I am 60!

    They'll still be playing Call of Duty or Crisis and be on their 20th (more like 30th) NVIDIA video card!

    Laters...
    rundhvid
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