augmented reality - page 7

Apple invests in maker of AR headset displays

By

Face Id
Apple wants to make smart glasses that don't look dorky.
Photo: Apple

Apple is gearing up to make a big play in the world of augmented reality glasses with its newest investment.

The iPhone-maker has reportedly made a big investment into AR display component maker EMagin Corp, giving Apple a key partner in its quest to build an AR headset that looks good.

Apple patents way to fix VR headsets’ worst problem

By

Alex Heath gets down in the Oculus booth. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
VR headsets are still bulky AF.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Bulky virtual reality headsets may soon look like retro relics if Apple’s designers have their way.

Details of a new patent from Apple reveal the company is investigating different ways to reduce the size of bulky augmented reality and virtual reality headsets. The patents specifically mentions a tech that its rivals aren’t using, which could give it big advantage if it enters the market.

ARKit upgrade makes augmented reality apps better than ever

By

ARkit
Apple's augmented reality platform just got slicker.
Photo: Alper Guler

Apple’s ARKit augmented reality platform just got better thanks to ARKit 1.5, which has rolled out to developers in beta.

The upgrade adds a big new feature to AR developers’ toolset: wall detection. Previous versions of ARKit only focused on horizontal plane detection, meaning that it only able to detect floors for objects to be placed onto. With the new upgrade, AR developers will now be able to add walls into the mix — for instance, creating a game in which you throw darts at a wall-mounted board.

Tim Cook: Music ‘deserves’ the audio quality HomePod offers

By

HomePod
Tim Cook thinks HomePod will blow away the "squeaky sound" of its rivals.
Photo: Apple

Tim Cook talked up the audio quality of Apple’s HomePod smart speaker during a recent interview, while taking a shot at the competition.

“We think one thing that was missing from this market was a quality audio experience, a very immersive audio experience,” Cook said. “Music deserves that kind of quality as opposed to some kind of squeaky sound.”

Top tech trends of 2017

By

top tech trends 2017
2017 was a great year for consumer technology.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Apple year in review2017 was an exciting year for consumer technology. It brought us big advancements in areas like machine learning and biometric security, as well as a big boost for augmented reality, and some not-so-satisfying changes to smartphone price tags.

Here are the top technology trends of 2017.

Apple just made it a lot harder for rivals to compete on AR

By

iPhone 8 Plus
Tim Cook thinks AR is going to be the next big thing in tech.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Expecting Android device makers to rip off Apple’s augmented reality technology any time soon? Not so fast, a new report claims.

Apple’s $390 million payday to TrueDepth sensor maker Finisar this week will reportedly help lock out rival companies like Samsung and Huawei from competing with its augmented reality ambitions, by giving Apple first dibs on the necessary components.

Facebook brings augmented reality to its Messenger app

By

Messenger
Who will know you love your dog if you don't add a giant digital heart over its head?
Photo: Facebook

It’s not just Apple that’s excited about the possibilities of augmented reality! In its latest Snapchat-inspired update, Facebook has added new AR features to its Messenger app.

Called “World Effects,” the feature lets you place emoji-style 3D objects in three-dimensional space via your iPhone’s rear camera. Objects added include a heart, an arrow, and a robot — along with word bubbles with messages like “love,” “heart,” “miss you,” and — making us feel old — ““bae.”

Key Apple supplier strikes AR glasses deal

By

Face Id
Apple smart glasses would have to look stylish.
Photo: Apple

One of Apple’s biggest manufacturing partners says it plans to get into the augmented reality business.

Quanta Computer revealed today that it has struck an agreement to start making lenses for an augmented reality headset. Even though the deal isn’t with Apple, it could signal that augmented reality headsets are about to hit the market in a big way.

Shadows Remain pushes ARKit in spooky new directions

By

AR1
The game puts you in the shoes of a parent hunting their lost kid.
Photo: Halfbrick

If you’re looking for a game to show off Apple’s ARKit augmented reality platform, you could do a whole lot worse than checking out Australian developer Halfbrick’s intriguing new AR game Shadows Remain.

Blending first-person adventure, hidden object puzzles, and horror elements, Shadows Remain places you in the role of a parent who moves into a new home, only to find that their kid has gone missing.

Apple supplier eyes AR glasses

By

Face Id
Are Apple Glasses coming soon?
Photo: Apple

One of the key suppliers for the iPhone X is fueling speculation that Apple is working on a standalone augmented reality product.

Catcher Tech, which makes metal casings for Apple products like the iPhone, iPad and MacBooks says that it is planning to start making metal components for AR products.

7 biggest takeaways from Apple’s record Q4 earnings

By

Will Apple reach its own targets for Q2?
AAPL shares are on the rise.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple surprised investors with its best Q4 earnings report ever today. The outrageous numbers dispelled doubts about the iPhone-maker’s strategy — and pushed Apple closer to becoming the world’s first trillion-dollar company.

With the launch of the iPhone X just hours away, Apple CEO Tim Cook had a lot to be happy about during the earnings call with investors. Analysts quizzed Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri on everything from iPhone 8 sales to how Apple plans to monetize its augmented reality efforts.

Here’s what we found out:

Tim Cook geeks out on AR during Oxford demo

By

iPhone 8 Plus
Augmented Reality on the iPhone 8 Plus is a taste of the future.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple CEO Tim Cook is a full-on geek when it comes to augmented reality.

Cook has raved about AR’s potential in a number of interviews the last year, but according to a PhD student at the University of Oxford, Tim actually has a great understanding of the technology. In a story shared on Reddit, the student reveals how Tim Cook dug deep into the details of the tech during a recent demo.

ARKit downloads dominated by games so far

By

ARgames
AR games account for the majority of app downloads and revenue made.
Photo: Sensor Tower

The vast majority of augmented reality ARKit apps released so far have been games, according to a breakdown release by analytics firm Sensor Tower Intelligence.

Combing over the AR apps released since iOS 11 launched on September 19, reveals that games represent around 35 percent of ARKit-only apps worldwide, followed by utilities (19 percent), other entertainment (11 percent), education (7 percent), photo and video apps (6 percent), and lifestyle (5 percent). The “other” category — for those apps which don’t fall into any of these genres — accounts for the remaining 8 percent.

Pokémon Go hands out prizes for coolest AR photographs

By

Pokemon Go
There's a new reason to play Pokémon GO.
Photo: Niantic

In an attempt to capitalize on current headlines about augmented reality, Pokémon Go developer Niantic has launched an AR photography contest within the app.

Through October 25, users can snap a photo in the game and then upload it to Instagram using the tag #PokemonGoContest. If your image is one of the top 10 submissions, you’ll win a Pokémon Go prize pack containing a Pokémon Go Plus accessory, a poster autographed by the Pokémon Go team, and Bluetooth earbuds.

Tim Cook: Don’t expect a standalone AR headset anytime soon

By

Tim Cook
ARKit is as big as the App Store and Multitouch, Tim Cook says.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s augmented technology platform ARKit is going to be as big as the App Store and multitouch, but the technology’s not yet there to make a standalone AR headset.

Those are the biggest takeaways from a wide-ranging interview Apple CEO Tim Cook gave to the U.K.’s Independent newspaper as part of his trip to Europe this week. The interview also covered his love of the military, and why Apple shouldn’t stay silent on issues it disagrees with.

Titanium pens, aquarium robots and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

By

The Model A
The ultimate universal VR headset.
Photo: The Model A

Crowdfund Roundup bugThe Model A is the first universal virtual reality headset for your smartphone that you won’t want to ditch within hours of buying it. It’s designed to be lightweight and comfortable to wear, and has a high-fidelity audio system built right in.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s best pen machined out of titanium, a gadget that keeps all your devices secure online, the ultimate camping companion, and more!

Parker, the world’s first AR teddy bear, arrives in Apple stores

By

Parker
Parker? More like "pARker," right? Oh, we get it!
Photo: Seedling

Apple stores probably aren’t your first port of call when it comes to picking up toys, but it’s the only place you’ll be able to purchase one particular new toy made by the manufacturer Seedling.

Seedling’s brand new Parker the bear is described as the world’s first augmented reality teddy bear. Intended for kids three years and up, the bear serves as both a cuddly companion and an all-important child-friendly introduction to the world of ARKit.

Yay? Snapchat is ready to bring us augmented reality ads

By

This guy
Who knows? Your corporate mascot could become as popular as this guy!
Photo: Snapchat

Advertising is the life blood of many tech companies, so it’s no surprise that people are already tripping over themselves to find a good way of monetizing augmented reality, the technology Apple has brought to the masses with ARKit.

The company that’s first out of the gate with AR spam is Snapchat, which has just announced that it’s opening up its 3D World Lenses to advertisers. Ever wanted to have fun™ by interacting with a beloved corporate mascot? Well, now you can.

Morphite, Ikea Place, and other awesome apps of the week

By

Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s ARKit takes center stage in this week’s “Awesome Apps” roundup — with two impressive demos of iOS 11’s new augmented reality platform that, hopefully, will help convince you that AR is every bit as revolutionary as Tim Cook thinks it is.

In addition, we’ve picked a great open world universe game that’s sure to go down as one of the year’s best iOS titles, and a new entry in a beloved series of legal games (yes, really!). Check out our choices below.

Apple’s new ad gives 8 reasons to love iPhone 8

By

iPhone 8
The most powerful iPhones Apple has ever made.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 8 isn’t getting as hyped a reception from fans as previous models, but Apple’s making a hard push to lure in customers with its latest video.

Apple’s newest commercial gives people 8 things to love about the new iPhone 8, from durable glass front and back to its insanely fast A11 processor. Most fans are holding out for the iPhone X, however, you might be convinced to upgrade earlier after watching the new 47-second spot.