Apple's AR execs on how iPhones and iPads are becoming world-mapping, object-scanning tools that are laying the groundwork for the arrival of AR headsets
What changed with this piece is the framing: rather than teasing unreleased hardware, Apple's own AR executives are recasting the hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads already in circulation as world-mapping and object-scanning instruments — meaning the groundwork for a headset is being laid by devices customers bought for other reasons.
First-order effects
Every iPhone and iPad owner running Apple's AR tooling effectively becomes a sensor operator, feeding spatial maps and object scans into Apple's systems without buying anything new.
The 3D-sensor hardware path Bloomberg reported — iPad Pro first, then premium iPhones — is now confirmed as deliberate sequencing rather than a camera upgrade cycle.
Second-order effects
Rivals building AR glasses face a competitor whose map of physical spaces is crowdsourced through an installed base they cannot match, pushing them toward partnerships or their own scanning incentives.
Component suppliers tied to depth-sensing modules gain a multi-year demand curve anchored to Apple's stated headset roadmap, not just annual phone refreshes.
Third-order effects
If the pattern holds, consumer phones become the collection layer for spatial computing infrastructure, and whoever owns the largest device fleet owns the pre-built world model a headset launches on top of.
Regulatory attention on ambient scanning of private spaces is a plausible downstream consequence as mapping shifts from explicit user actions to background device behavior.
The trend: Apple is converting its existing iPhone and iPad fleet into perception infrastructure so that a future AR headset inherits a pre-mapped world on day one.
Apple's #AR execs on how iPhones and iPads are becoming world-mapping, object-scanning tools that are laying the groundwork for the arrival of AR headsets - just in case you were wondering about the integration of #LiDAR 👓📱https://www.cnet.com/ ...
A lot of good stuff in this interview with a couple of $AAPL AR execs. Among the things discussed: How (amid expectations of 2022/2023 AR headset launches) putting Lidar scanners into iPhones/iPads is driving AR content-creation. https://www.cnet.com/... https://twitter.com/...
Just thinking that the Apple Silicon will make pretty outstanding chips for powering AR glasses from a power/heat/performance perspective. They might be able to do it. https://www.cnet.com/...
I am thinking of all sorts of businesses that will be built for the Apple headphones coming next year. Hello world? A band on my front lawn. I will walk around that forever. Who is going to get what a big deal this is? Who is the next billionaire. I talked to one this morning
Exclusive: Apple's Mike Rockwell tells @jetscott about making AR “helpful to folks in their lives..For us, the best way to do that is to enable our device ecosystem, so that it is a healthy & profitable place for people to invest their time & effort.” https://www.cnet.com/...
“Apple says there are already 10,000 AR-enabled iOS apps from 7,000 developers, with many focused on shopping or home improvement as a way to practically use AR at home Practicality is exactly what Apple seems most intent on at the moment.” https://twitter.com/...
By 2022 the best brands will have built spatial audio experiences. This is going to be a skill all developers will need to develop. Why? What Apple is going to do next year. Everyone running a VR/AR company should start developing next-level audio capabilities. More in thread
Someone who knows told me that Apple is spending 20x more than @magicleap on augmented audio and video technologies. He also validated that Apple is starting with the headphones next year.
Exclusive: Apple's AR executives talk about why iPhones and iPads are transforming into world-mapping, object-scanning tools — and why that matters more right now than glasses https://www.cnet.com/...
💥 CNET Exclusive: Apple's AR executives talk about why iPhones and iPads are transforming into world-mapping, object-scanning tools • 100s Millions of Compatible devices • Already 10,000 AR Apps from 7,000 devs Lots more quotes to read in the article https://www.cnet.com/...
“One of the largest repositories of 3D objects, Sketchfab, is already seeing an uptick despite years of previous explorations in 3D scanning before this. Sketchfab just hit 4M subscribers and had its first profitable month since the service began in 2012.” https://www.cnet.com/..…