5 Things We Know About Apple’s Secret Virtual Reality Team
Image courtesy of Flickr user Nan Palmero
During an Apple earnings call last week, CEO Tim Cook responded to a question regarding virtual reality with a rather vague response, saying: “In terms of VR, I don’t think it’s a niche. It’s really cool and has some interesting applications.”
However, a recent report from the Financial Times indicates that Apple might be have a “secret” team working on augmented and virtual reality. Apple headset prototypes would add to other companies working on a VR system: Facebook’s Oculus Rift and Microsoft’s Hololens.
Could Apple be trying to catch up to other companies leading the development of virtual reality or augmented reality products? Here’s what we know so far:
1. They Have a Dedicated Team
The Financial Times reports that Apple already has a team assembled to work on augmented and virtual reality. Given a few recent hires and business acquirements, this “secret” team could be real. Apple supposedly acquired talent from the Microsoft HoloLens team and a few team members who worked on Lytro’s light field camera.
2. Apple Acquired Flyby Media
The company has reportedly acquired Flyby Media, a start-up that develops an augmented reality through mapping spaces using smartphones. This essentially allows a mobile device to “see” the world around it. The Flyby team previously worked with Google to develop software for Project Tango, a 3D positioning technology that allows mobile devices to determine where they are located in space.