Apple CEO Tim Cook Calls Augmented Reality 'Profound,' Says it Should 'Amplify' Human Contact

[Applebot1]

Tim talks about human interaction and AR would add value to this. That depends how it's delivered. Using your iPhone whilst interacting isn't the way forward so I suspect some kind of
"wearable" is in the making. VR on the other hand could have immense application as it gets more life like. VR defo has a future. Time will tell Timmy

 

[emm386]

BS.

Tim Cook definetly knows how to spell out the words 'profound' or 'revolutionary' but he doesn't understand the meaning of either of these.

And he definetly wouldn't be able to tell game-changing innovative technology if it was served to him on a silver plate.

 

[tigerstaden]

I wish I could use augmented reality right now to conjure a new MacBook Pro in front of me.

 

[TheFluffyDuck]

Cook moves to where the puck is (or worse, where it was), not where it is going to be. Augmented reality is a gimmick. In every app that I have EVER use that has it, I turn it off. Its horrible! Virtual reality though? OMG!!! That is the future. But then again you need good hardware for that. And apple have not put current hardware in a machine for years. VR would effects their profit margins, where AR wont.

 

[pika2000]

I know a guy who worked on the iOS team. He was provided with an iPhone 6s Plus to carry around and test/dev on it WHILE Apple just released the iPhone 5 at the time.

The point is that apple r&d team is always working way ahead of public release but people who never work in an actual r&d team always think Apple is not doing anything interesting, just because they're not as loud mouth as google.

Wow. Must be interesting chatting with that guy since he would be super extra careful

Furthermore, to many people that don't actually know about technology (many "tech bloggers" are in this category), they judge only by appearance. iPhone looks the same = no innovation to them.

 

[MH01]

I would be looking at a different model that more closely represent the price and is more up to date. If I must have one because I need it for business, I would look at alternative car makers. Or I will continue waiting since I have 2 many ways for transportation (public transport, my motorbike, my bicycle..aka, iPhone, iPad)

As you said most don't need yearly updates, those that having been holding out for an update for a few years are getting impatient.

My 2012 rMBP serves me fine, I am though worried about a 2012 Mac mini update in relation to the new MacBooks, if that happens, last years model will actually become sort after.

 

[EJ Lala]

Ahh we have found Tim's new carrot to chase.

 

[Max Portakabin]

Apple is in a crisis of tech leadership.

Eddy is their Joe Pesci - there to threaten people in negotiations.

Phil is everyone's favourite uncle, there to get to excited about the smallest thing and make sure no one ever refers to their cell phone in the plural.

Jury is out on hair force one. Though history is not shining a very bright light on Apple's recent software history.

And Tim? You can imagine him agog every time he opens a door. How does that glass open to let you in? We think doors are profound and we're super excited about the future of them.

Maybe it is time to let bygones be bygones and go and get Scott Forstall back. The closest thing to Steve Jobs there is.

 

[blasto2236]

I think everyone is seriously downplaying the potential applications for AR here. Take a look at what the folks over at Magic Leap are working on. If in 5-10 years it would be possible to conjure any size screen from thin air, that renders the smartphone, tablet, and even television utterly obsolete. Any tech company that isn't betting on and exploring AR right now would be incredibly foolish and short-sighted.

There's a reason every major tech company is meeting with Magic Leap and that they've received over a billion dollars in angel investments so far without even releasing a product. This is the future. It's not difficult to picture. We aren't talking about Pokemon Go here.

 

[thekeyring]

Why is AR a profound technology Mr. Cook? Show me an example (outside of amusements & gaming) that profoundly affects the life of anyone. The concept of AR as promoted by Facebook is IMO decidedly dystopian -- e.g. "we control the horizontal, we control the vertical...". This approach is no different than the Trekkies who believe that physics should match the script of their favorite TV show and not vice versa. We're being told that life and reality can (and should) be part of a frikken video game?

Calm down man.

AR can be used outside of video games. Imagine if you will, the possibility that your route - previously limited to your iPhone screen - could be actually on the road in front of you, and visible to just you. If the tech was ever there to do that, that would be profound.

 

[Bacillus]

I think Tim is keenly aware that the future success of Apple is dependent on creating "new categories". Those categories emerge as technology, price, and utility converge to a single point. It started with the PC with a graphical user interface and a mouse, it happened again for Apple with the iPhone, iPad, aTV, and the aWatch. Tim is grasping to predict the next category and seems to have his sights set on self driving cars, and augmented reality. The watch and Apple tv are good but not great. It seems that the incremental advancements they make have only to do with acquisitions, and the sheer volume with which they hire and spend. I have little faith in their future ability to really get anything right, and it's surprising that there are no immediate and drastic attempts made to revise mediocre products.

Agree. Same with AppleCar and iTV. Great on a high conceptual level - but not the faintest idea how to implement. Disconnected VP's seem too big to fail, but cannot converge conceptual idea's into real product as Jobs could. From them, AR sounds as their way to dream the world they cannot create anymore. That's just as tragic as pathetic...

 

[Max Portakabin]

I think everyone is seriously downplaying the potential applications for AR here. Take a look at what the folks over at Magic Leap are working on. If in 5-10 years it would be possible to conjure any size screen from thin air, that renders the smartphone, tablet, and even television utterly obsolete. Any tech company that isn't betting on and exploring AR right now would be incredibly foolish and short-sighted.

There's a reason every major tech company is meeting with Magic Leap and that they've received over a billion dollars in angel investments so far without even releasing a product. This is the future. It's not difficult to picture. We aren't talking about Pokemon Go here.

No problem with AR and it's sensible to punt on it. But Tim just sounds so lame when discussing it.

 

[sbuttler77]

-

 

[djcerla]

... and Tim Cook is absolutely right: it's AR, not VR.

[doublepost=1476438334][/doublepost]

Between the fiasco that is the Apple Car

when did Apple announce an "Apple Car"? And when did it flop?
For a true fiasco, check out the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.

I am, for the first time contemplating selling my Apple stock

With new records in sight, you will find plenty of buyers.

 

[spherox]

When did apple go from being a proactive company to such a reactive one?

Ever since Tim Cook become the leader of Apple? But of course we don't want to bring that up.

 

[maxsix]

Timmy is but a reflection of Apple Culture.

So full of themselves, they can't see straight.

 

[amegicfox]

nonsense words words words

do we need incompetent Timmy to tell the world that VR is not a replacement for human contact ?

he should learn that the iPad is not a replacement for a computer

I can't wait for Apple to have a new competent CEO instead of this political hack

 

[SwissGuy93]

Why is AR a profound technology Mr. Cook? Show me an example (outside of amusements & gaming) that profoundly affects the life of anyone. The concept of AR as promoted by Facebook is IMO decidedly dystopian -- e.g. "we control the horizontal, we control the vertical...". This approach is no different than the Trekkies who believe that physics should match the script of their favorite TV show and not vice versa. We're being told that life and reality can (and should) be part of a frikken video game?

What do you want? "Apple is not innovativ enough..." *Tim Cook talks about a innovativ future* "Have you lost your mind?!"
You see how that sounds?

 

[sofila]

Seriously? They're NEVER first, they're always late or last and that's what gives them a huge advantage. See what was a gimmick, what worked and what needed work to be great.

It depends on what you mean with great, late, late enough, too late, etc etc

 

[zombierunner]

cook calls everything Profound

or magical or profoundly magical

 

[SwissGuy93]

Apple, when at its best, is reimagining devices and operations that already exist but aren't done right, or can be done better. Between the fiasco that is the Apple Car to this absolutely ridiculous interview/direction that he thinks things are going I am, for the first time contemplating selling my Apple stock. He does not have a clear vision of what he wants the company to do. He hasn't guided anything new out of Apple since he's been CEO and just doesn't seem to capable of doing anything about it.

How can a product, which hasn't even been released or announced (!), be a fiasco? How? Trolling has gone to a whole new level.

I would like to see you all building a strategy. It is not as easy as you think. And how can you all say, that he doesn't have a strategy? Apple has bought several AR related companies in the last few years... And you all want to tell me that there is no strategy behind that? Oh c'mon people.

VR is the future but it's still quite distant. I am not talking games here. VR is great for games. But I think Apple wants something more in the direction of Hololens. We all here think VR is great because we are, in fact, tech-geeks. The majority out there are not yet ready for a 2nd reality. It frightens them. So I see how Apple wants to use AR to ease people into VR.

And let's not forget: Apple was never the first. Apple did not build the first mp3-Player, just the first consumer friendly. Apple did not build the first smartphone. Just the most user friendly. Apple did not build the first tablet. Just the most advanced at the time (if they would give iOS a boost then they would beat the Surface now). Apple did not build the first smartwatch. Just the most fashionable and now, thanks to watchOS 3, the most consumer friendly (and don't even get started with that the fashion aspect is not important. Listen, it's a watch. Watches are fashion item. So they should be fashionable.). Get where I am going with this? Apple was never the first. They were the first to reimagine an already existing product. And they will do the same with AR.

 

[brianvictor7]

He seems to be jumping on whatever the cool thing is without contemplating the long term implications for Apple. First they acquired Beats because they figured that it would make Apple seem hip yo and now they figure that they need to get their something AR out whether it makes sense or not.

AR has been a dream of many, myself included, for decades.
No one has been able to make it affordable and user-friendly yet.

This sounds to me like Apple's next big product category. Microsoft's Halo lens has been announced since 2014, yet I have never even gotten to touch one. These things take time. It was 4 years between the iPad and the Apple Watch. We're only 2 years out from that announcement (and it is only this next month that I am *finally* getting my own AW.

I am not saying that Apple doesn't have plenty of room for improvement, but they still have some great things coming.
[doublepost=1476444417][/doublepost]

How can a product, which hasn't even been released or announced (!), be a fiasco? How? Trolling has gone to a whole new level.

I would like to see you all building a strategy. It is not as easy as you think. And how can you all say, that he doesn't have a strategy? Apple has bought several AR related companies in the last few years... And you all want to tell me that there is no strategy behind that? Oh c'mon people.

VR is the future but it's still quite distant. I am not talking games here. VR is great for games. But I think Apple wants something more in the direction of Hololens. We all here think VR is great because we are, in fact, tech-geeks. The majority out there are not yet ready for a 2nd reality. It frightens them. So I see how Apple wants to use AR to ease people into VR.

And let's not forget: Apple was never the first. Apple did not build the first mp3-Player, just the first consumer friendly. Apple did not build the first smartphone. Just the most user friendly. Apple did not build the first tablet. Just the most advanced at the time (if they would give iOS a boost then they would beat the Surface now). Apple did not build the first smartwatch. Just the most fashionable and now, thanks to watchOS 3, the most consumer friendly (and don't even get started with that the fashion aspect is not important. Listen, it's a watch. Watches are fashion item. So they should be fashionable.). Get where I am going with this? Apple was never the first. They were the first to reimagine an already existing product. And they will do the same with AR.

Well said!!! I am surprised at how negative the majority of comments here seem. This is Tim practically telling us, "AR is our next big product release! Stay Tuned!" It might be 2 or 3 years down the line, but it is coming.

As for Apple Car, a product we only know about through rumor, being a disaster, that story is not yet officially written. I am personally glad that they are looking into ways to make cars safer and smarter, even if they never end up achieving the self-driving dream car we would all like.

 

[62tele]

Oh I can't wait for them to deliver an augmented reality service as well as they did Siri.

Seriously, more and more I question Apple's (Cook's) vision.

 

[Benjamin Frost]

I simply have no interest in augmented reality. I don't think it will become a big thing, ever. It's already been out for years, yet it's never caught on because it's a gimmick that has no practical advantage over other ways of doing things. Yes, it may have the odd benefit for specialised uses, but what matters is the general public, and for them, I see no compelling use case for it.

As such, Tim Cook seems to be jumping on the bandwagon yet again. I'm growing tired of the endless interviews Cook makes, in which he talks of exciting things in the future; but these exciting things never appear. The emperor has no clothes. Such a contrast to Steve Jobs, who both saw the future and made it.

 

[stevet]

AR should "amplify" human contact?
Wow, straight for the x rating.
[doublepost=1476421497][/doublepost]

Which smart watch did they sell before Tim's tenure? I don't remember.

If you think an accessory should be highlighted on a CEO's record, then I guess we will have to agree to disagree. He has been riding on the coat tails of the iPhone, any of us on here, except for a select few 'yes men' (you know who you are), could run a company that has that type of product. But he is flailing to find the next ONE and he isn't doing a good job of it so far. Never mind, the lack of Macs for years, inexcusable.