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Apple & ARWhat we know about Apple’s secretive augmented reality eyewear project.

by Christopher Grayson

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In Spring of 2015 Apple acquired Metaio, industry leader in augmented reality software. Then shut down operations and said nothing … until last Sunday when former Metaio CEO, Thomas Alt changed his title to Director of Procurement.

Apple’s Strategic Deals Team, among other things, is responsible for manufacturing contracts. This has the appearance of something AR being prepared for market.

Former metaio Ceo

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other top hires

Nick Thompson

Now:AppleEngineering Lead

Was:Microsoft HoloLens Principal Audio Hardware Engineering Lead

Zeyu Li

Now:AppleSr. Computer Vision Algorithm Engineer

Was:Magic Leap Principal Engineer, Computer Vision

Yury Petrov

Now:AppleResearch Scientist

Was:Oculus Research Scientist

Doug Bowman

Now:AppleBowman’s title is undisclosed, but believed to be the Director of the project.

Was:Virginia Tech Director, Center for Human-Computer Interaction

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Notable aCquisitioNs

Prime Sense Sensor technology licensed by Microsoft for the XBox Kinect.

Flyby Media Depth mapping computer vision software licensed by Google for use in Project Tango.

Emotient Artificial intelligence computer vision platform for reading emotions from facial expressions.

Polar Rose Face recognition computer vision software out of Sweden.

Faceshift Face tracking, motion capture software used in the making of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Metaio German based industry leader, augmented reality computer vision development platform.

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In 2014 Jony Ive hired Marc Newson into Apple’s industrial design department.

the marC NewsoN era

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Marc Newson watch designs, Ikepod.

2015 Marc Newson designed eye frames for Safilo.

the marC NewsoN era

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The Apple Watch has Newson’s fingerprints all over it.

AR eyewear will be next.

We know that eyewear is on the way.

the marC NewsoN era

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”

“I think there are some positive points in the product, I think it’s probably more likely to appeal to certain vertical markets. … I wear glasses because I have to. I don’t know a lot of people that wear them that don’t have to. They want them to be light and unobtrusive and reflect their fashion. … I think from a mainstream point of view [smart glasses] are difficult to see. I think the wrist is interesting. The wrist is natural.

— Tim Cook, 2014, prior to the Apple Watch launch

“There’s virtual reality and there’s augmented reality -- both of these are incredibly interesting, but my own view is that augmented reality is the larger of the two, probably by far.

— Tim Cook, 2016, the week of the iPhone 7 launch”

Following the same pattern of media hints, leading up to the reveal of the Apple Watch.

the whisper CampaigN

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”

“It also does show, as you point out, that AR can be really great and we’re— we have been and continue to invest a lot in this. We are high on AR for the long run. We think there’s great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity. So we’re investing, and the number one thing is to make sure our products work well with other developers kind of products like Pokémon.

— Tim Cook, 2016, Apple’s Q3 earnings call

the whisper CampaigN

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Patent 7,595,759 (Top) is one of Apple’s earliest originally filed almost a decade ago in January 2007. Apple’s patent filing have been ongoing, including this year’s Patent 9,383,582 (Bottom).

apple ar, r&D ip

Apple U.S. Augmented Reality HUD Patent 7,595,759 (filed in 2007, awarded in 2009)

Apple U.S. Augmented Reality HUD Patent 9,383,582 (extension filed in 2012, awarded in 2016)

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Developer Steven Troughton-Smith recently pointed out that the Apple developer tool, SceneKit has included buried references to “HeadMountedDisplayRenderingTechnique” since iOS 9.

hiDiNg iN plaiN sight

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I have frequent interactions with entrepreneurs and engineers in the augmented reality space.

Given Apple’s aggressive poaching of top talent from HoloLens, Oculus, Magic Leap, etc., it should come as no surprise that others have confided how Apple is aggressively pursuing engineers to poach from every smart glasses company in the market.

aNeCDotal

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augmeNteD reality From apple is ComiNg.

the oNly questioN is wheN.

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representation for speakinG and ar / Vr Market ConsultinG:

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Christopher Grayson