Virtual Reality

Sales of virtual reality and augmented reality gadgets have been weaker than expected

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 5, 2016

Sales of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) headsets and accessories have been “weaker than expected,” causing concerns for companies that have invested heavily in these technologies, according to a report Monday by Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes. Weak demand for AR and VR gadgets is being blamed on a lack of content and expensive prices, among other factors.

Apple, as you know, is thought to be researching AR accessories of its own and has filed a number of patents pertaining to virtual reality technologies.

Google’s Daydream VR headset goes on sale with YouTube VR as its killer app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 19, 2018

Daydream, Google's new Android-powered virtual reality platform, was announced at the company's annual developer pilgrimage in May. Daydream View, Google's first virtual reality headset, is now available for purchase from a number of retailers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia for $79 apiece.

Why Apple should be more bullish on Virtual Reality

Steffen Reich ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

2016 will unquestionably be remembered as the year Virtual Reality made a meaningful entrance to the tech world. Granted, there were murmurings and early adaptations long before, but with the staggered release of Oculus Rift in March, the HTC Vive in April, or the new Samsung Gear VR in August, Virtual Reality (of varying degrees) appears to have accomplished the shift from nascent tech-demo material to becoming a more legitimate contender for a share of your wallet.

On October 13, Playstation joined the fray, releasing the arguably most consistent and yet affordable VR experience with Playstation VR. If early numbers and reviews are anything to go by, this could be the product to help the technology cross the consumer chasm once and for all and attract mainstream interest.

Tim Cook: augmented reality is ‘profound,’ will take time to get right

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Apple CEO Tim Cook once again sings the praises of augmented reality in a new interview with BuzzFeed News. Cook tells the outlet that his team is "high on AR in the long run" and he believes the technology can be "huge."

His latest comments echo those from previous interviews, including one from August with The Washington Post. He said at that time that Apple is very bullish on AR and is doing a lot of things with the tech behind the curtain.

Here are Gene Munster’s latest musings on Project Titan & Apple VR headset

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 20, 2016

Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster had been infamously predicting an Apple-branded HDTV set for years before eventually giving up on that dream. Last we heard from him was when he called for an S-upgrade to the Apple Watch in February 2016 (he may have gotten that one right; the timing, not so much).

He's back now with some interesting thoughts (via AppleWorldToday) on Apple's rumored electric vehicle and assumed virtual reality headset hardware.

Intel unveils new Kaby Lake chips, VR headset for merged reality, drone platform & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 20, 2017

At Intel Developer Forum today, chip giant Intel announced a seventh-generation Core processors, code-named Kaby Lake, along with a new drone platform, an exciting open-source virtual reality project and a bunch of other goodies.

During an opening keynote presentation, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said the new Kaby Lake chips, due later this year, will let users stream movies in 4K resolution with smooth playback and long battery life.

The company did not say when a low-power edition of the latest Kaby Lake chips suitable for use in Mac notebooks and iMacs might become available to vendors.

Tim Cook just admitted that Apple’s doing “a lot of things” on augmented reality

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 20, 2016

“I think augmented reality is extremely interesting and sort of a core technology,” Tim Cook told The Washington Post in an interview published Sunday. “So, yes, it's something we're doing a lot of things on behind that curtain we talked about.”

This, boys and girls, right there is Apple's first public admission that not only has it been dipping its toes in augmented-reality technology, but possibly creating its next major computing platform.

Magic Leap has been awarded design patent for a Star Wars-like VR headset

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 8, 2016

Augmented reality startup Magic Leap, which created the Leap Motion Controller for the Mac, has been awarded a design patent today by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a virtual reality headset which looks like a Star Wars helmet or something straight out of the Robocop movies. According to Andy Fouché, Magic Leap's Vice President of Public Relations, the patent does not represent the finished product.

How to watch YouTube in VR mode on iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2019

Google Cardboard may be the simplest, most affordable way to experience virtual reality content on a smartphone, but up until recently Google's mobile YouTube app only supported Cardboard on Android.

Beginning with YouTube for iOS version 11.18, iPhone owners can watch YouTube in virtual reality mode on their device.

Here's how you can experience YouTube in VR mode on your iPhone.

Apple has secret team working on virtual reality headset, report says

Cody Lee ∙ Updated June 12, 2018

Apple has assembled a large team of virtual and augmented reality experts for a top secret project, reports the Financial Times. The team is said to be building prototypes of headsets that could one day compete against Oculus Rift or Microsoft's Hololens.

Sources say the secret research unit is made up of hundreds of staff Apple has picked up in a series of carefully targeted acquisitions, as well poached employees from companies working on VR tech such as Microsoft and the darling camera start-up Lytro.

Tim Cook: virtual reality is really cool and has some interesting applications

Cody Lee ∙ January 26, 2016

During Apple's Q1 2016 earnings call on Tuesday, Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri discussed the company's performance over the past 3 months. We've put together a nice little roundup of all the interesting stuff, but we thought this particular exchange was worth a separate post.

In the Q&A portion of the call, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster—who made a name for himself through his tireless predictions that Apple was building a TV set—asked Tim Cook what he thought about virtual reality. And in his first public comments on the topic, Cook answered.

Apple hires top virtual reality researcher

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 30, 2018

Apple has hired Doug Bowman, one of the top US researches in virtual reality, reports the Financial Times. Mr. Bowman recently joined the Cupertino firm after taking a brief sabbatical from his position as computer science professor at Virginia Tech. He also served as the director of the university's human-computer interaction centre.

According to the FT, Bowman's experience spans both fully-immersive VR and augmented reality, and he is well respected by his peers. He has received several industry awards and other recognitions for his work, including a $100,000 grant from Microsoft for a HoloLens study, and he's consulted for Walt Disney's Imagineering unit.