Longtime iPhone Executive Named New Head of Augmented Reality Marketing

[MacRumors]

Apple has named longtime Apple employee and iPhone executive Frank Casanova as its first head of marketing for augmented reality, reports Bloomberg.

Casanova, who has been at Apple since 1988, is responsible for all aspects of product marketing for Apple's "augmented reality initiative," according to his LinkedIn profile.

Prior to being named head of Apple's AR marketing effort, Casanova worked as Apple's senior director of iPhone partner marketing. He started at Apple as a product manager in May 1988, spent a short stint at another company for a year in 1997, and has been working at Apple since then. He was around for the launch of the iPhone as well as many other pivotal products.

As Bloomberg points out, Apple's decision to name a head of product marketing for augmented reality indicates the importance of the feature for the future of the company. Apple debuted ARKit, its augmented reality platform, in iOS 11, and made significant improvements to it in iOS 12.

ARKit turned Apple's iPhones and iPads the largest augmented reality platform available, with many apps now taking advantage of augmented reality capabilities.

Apple is also working on improved AR functionality for iPhones in 2020 through a laser-based 3D rear camera, and the company is said to have an augmented reality headset in the works, which could launch around the same timeframe.

Article Link: Longtime iPhone Executive Named New Head of Augmented Reality Marketing

 

[Cosmosent]

RE: "As Bloomberg points out, Apple's decision to name a head of product marketing for augmented reality indicates the importance of the feature for the future of the company."

NO, NOT necessarily.

Maybe they just to make sure that they don't make any catastrophic mistakes with AR, like they did with Wide Color, 10-bit color, Or the amount of DRAM they put in some of their iPhones ! ... i.e., areas where their VP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, failed the company, & select third-party App Devs, badly !

 

[mtneer]

Is he going to be leading efforts in marketing Apple products using augmented reality or will he be marketing the benefits of using augmented reality to other marketers using Apple’s ad platform (iAds)?

 

[mi7chy]

Does it really need marketing for such a mature, roughly seven year old, feature? AR tape measurement is a nice gimmick but no one is going to use it for anything serious unless they want their furniture making, building, etc. to come out crooked and fail code due to lack of accuracy and precision. Any life left for AR are hands-free translucent applications like car windshield HUD, low profile eyewear HUD, etc.

 

[martyjmclean]

Is he going to be leading efforts in marketing Apple products using augmented reality or will he be marketing the benefits of using augmented reality to other marketers using Apple’s ad platform (iAds)?

If you read the article you'd know he's in charge of advertising and marketing AR initiatives. Hardware + ARKit has reached a point where Apple feels the need to showcase the tech. The things I can do with AR on my iPhone is pretty incredible right now, imagine what you can do once its shown off and widely adopted?

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Does it really need marketing for such a mature, roughly seven year old, feature? AR tape measurement is a nice gimmick but no one is going to use it for anything serious unless they want their furniture making, building, etc. to come out crooked and fail code due to lack of accuracy and precision. Any life left for AR are hands-free translucent applications like car windshield HUD, low profile eyewear HUD, etc.

I think the measurement app is mostly for getting a ballpark figure. At least at the moment. I have used it to measure some things but I didn't need it with in 1/16th of an inch.

 

[Simmias]

How about producing a single useful AR application before trying to market the benefits? It’s troubling that Apple is marketing a “technology” instead of focusing on the user experience. This is something they have always avoided in the past, but Tim Cook’s enthusiasm for what AR will be and enable in the future (with Apple Glasses) has led them to promote a technology that has no current user benefit. They are blatantly trying to stoke developer and consumer interest now based on empty gimmicks, so they will have a strong platform once glasses are feasible.

It’s simply not practical to hold up a phone or tablet in front of one’s face as a viewing window, and there is no “killer app” or even one worth downloading. ARKit has existed for 2+ years and is still little more than a tech demo. One day AR will be transformative and create amazing experiences with immersive glasses, but until then, Apple should really shut up about it.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Is he going to be leading efforts in marketing Apple products using augmented reality or will he be marketing the benefits of using augmented reality to other marketers using Apple’s ad platform (iAds)?

I interpreted the latter.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

How about producing a single useful AR application before trying to market the benefits? It’s troubling that Apple is marketing a “technology” instead of focusing on the user experience. This is something they have always avoided in the past, but Tim Cook’s enthusiasm for what AR will be and enable in the future (with Apple Glasses) has led them to promote a technology that has no current user benefit. They are blatantly trying to stoke developer and consumer interest now based on empty gimmicks, so they will have a strong platform once glasses are feasible.

It’s simply not practical to hold up a phone or tablet in front of one’s face as a viewing window, and there is no “killer app” or even one worth downloading. ARKit has existed for 2+ years and is still little more than a tech demo. One day AR will be transformative and create amazing experiences with immersive glasses, but until then, Apple should really shut up about it.

Meanwhile Microsoft heavily markets AR to the public at large that have no use for it. I am not an engineer who teaches deaf people to see sounds. Nobody has a viable AR product thus far but it would be insane not to keep trying.

 

[Glockworkorange]

RE: "As Bloomberg points out, Apple's decision to name a head of product marketing for augmented reality indicates the importance of the feature for the future of the company."

NO, NOT necessarily.

Maybe they just to make sure that they don't make any catastrophic mistakes with AR, like they did with Wide Color, 10-bit color, Or the amount of DRAM they put in some of their iPhones ! ... i.e., areas where their VP of Marketing, Phil Schiller, failed the company, & select third-party App Devs, badly !

What are the problems with wide color gamut and 10 bit color?

 

[Scooz]

Despite its lousy reputation, marketing is about dialog.

So let's hope for the best.

 

[lec0rsaire]

AR is more DOA than 3D or VR were. Maybe only blockchain is more useless! Google tried to make it a thing with Google Glass and failed miserably. Outside of education (anatomy, chemistry) and games for kids, there is literally no purpose for AR at the moment.

Sure everyone will measure stuff or see what furniture looks like with the IKEA or Amazon app at least once but the novelty wears off fast. Definitely not the game changer Tim made it out to be when introducing iOS 11.

 

[Glockworkorange]

How about producing a single useful AR application before trying to market the benefits? It’s troubling that Apple is marketing a “technology” instead of focusing on the user experience. This is something they have always avoided in the past, but Tim Cook’s enthusiasm for what AR will be and enable in the future (with Apple Glasses) has led them to promote a technology that has no current user benefit. They are blatantly trying to stoke developer and consumer interest now based on empty gimmicks, so they will have a strong platform once glasses are feasible.

It’s simply not practical to hold up a phone or tablet in front of one’s face as a viewing window, and there is no “killer app” or even one worth downloading. ARKit has existed for 2+ years and is still little more than a tech demo. One day AR will be transformative and create amazing experiences with immersive glasses, but until then, Apple should really shut up about it.

Man, did they hype AR with iOS 11.

AR was supposed to be the next breakthrough technology for Apple; the technology that was supposed to change the smartphone landscape forever.

What a joke--it's just awkward demo ware. All sizzle and no steak.

Not sure why they couldn't have at least put it into Apple Maps for walking directions (like Google is testing now). I'm sure they'd have made the interface beautiful and it'd certainly by more useful than AR Carrot Weather and AR PCalc. Yuck.
[doublepost=1549940049][/doublepost]

AR is more DOA than 3D or VR were. Maybe only blockchain is more useless! Google tried to make it a thing with Google Glass and failed miserably. Outside of education (anatomy, chemistry) and games for kids, there is literally no purpose for AR at the moment.

Sure everyone will measure stuff or see what furniture looks like with the IKEA or Amazon app at least once but the novelty wears off fast. Definitely not the game changer Tim made it out to be when introducing iOS 11.

Ha, Blockchain. Also supposed to change the world.

 

[A MacBook lover]

Man, did they hype AR with iOS 11.

AR was supposed to be the next breakthrough technology for Apple; the technology that was supposed to change the smartphone landscape forever.

What a joke--it's just awkward demo ware. All sizzle and no steak.

Not sure why they couldn't have at least put it into Apple Maps for walking directions (like Google is testing now). I'm sure they'd have made the interface beautiful and it'd certainly by more useful than AR Carrot Weather and AR PCalc. Yuck.
[doublepost=1549940049][/doublepost]
Ha, Blockchain. Also supposed to change the world.

Both statements show how short term you think.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Both statements show how short term you think.

I'm referring to the iPhone hype specifically; not future product development.

But sure, stay nasty.

 

[mi7chy]

I think the measurement app is mostly for getting a ballpark figure. At least at the moment. I have used it to measure some things but I didn't need it with in 1/16th of an inch.

If one has to second guess with AR then it didn't need to be measured to begin with. Often it's quicker to use a tape measure.

As for accuracy and precision, AR measurement of 6'8" is off by +/- 2.5" for a 6'10.5" door so every door in the house will either not close or be a swinging type. No thanks. They're better off focusing their resources on more important priorities like Siri, iOS, Nvidia driver support, etc.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

Both statements show how short term you think.

I can’t tell you how often I regularly hear engineers we work with say, “Well that’s impossible, because if it were possible someone would have done it already and we’d all be using it by now.” I appreciate anyone who can pack that many mental hurdles & crutches into one sentence warning me early, before we get too far along in a project with them.

 

[lec0rsaire]

Ha, Blockchain. Also supposed to change the world.

The hardcore blockchain evangelists still think it will cure everything! There are fewer of them out there post-bitcoin crash though.

 

[Glockworkorange]

The hardcore blockchain evangelists still think it will cure everything! There are fewer of them out there post-bitcoin crash though.

At the risk of hijacking this thread, some of those blockchain folks are lunatics.
[doublepost=1549941071][/doublepost]

If one has to second guess with AR then it didn't need to be measured to begin with. Often it's quicker to use a tape measure.

As for accuracy and precision, AR measurement of 6'8" is off by +/- 2.5" for a 6'10.5" door so every door in the house will either not close or be a swinging type. No thanks. They're better off focusing their resources on more important priorities like Siri, iOS, Nvidia driver support, etc.

But it looks great with Lego toy sets.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Does it really need marketing for such a mature, roughly seven year old, feature? AR tape measurement is a nice gimmick but no one is going to use it for anything serious unless they want their furniture making, building, etc. to come out crooked and fail code due to lack of accuracy and precision. Any life left for AR are hands-free translucent applications like car windshield HUD, low profile eyewear HUD, etc.

Agreed.

Although AR applications beyond the phone is really nascent existence.

Whereas VR ... that idea has been spun since The Lawnmowerman or a similar computer movie featuring VR in a software OS featuring actor Michael Douglas. Damn I feel old.
[doublepost=1549941820][/doublepost]

[doublepost=1549940049][/doublepost]
Ha, Blockchain. Also supposed to change the world.

Actually Blockchain is making huge changes in the mining and agriculture industry:

BP and just about every oil drilling company in the globe (part of a consortium)
Barrick Gold Corp
And a few larger agricultural companies are working in earnest using blockchain in various ways.

Let’s not confuse Blockchain with Bitcoin their two very separate things.

 

[Glockworkorange]

Agreed.

Although AR applications beyond the phone is really nascent existence.

Whereas VR ... that idea has been spun since The Lawnmowerman or a similar computer movie featuring VR in a software OS featuring actor Michael Douglas. Damn I feel old.
[doublepost=1549941820][/doublepost]

Actually Blockchain is making huge changes in the mining and agriculture industry:

BP and just about every oil drilling company in the globe (part of a consortium)
Barrick Gold Corp
And a few larger agricultural companies are working in earnest using blockchain in various ways.

Let’s not confuse Blockchain with Bitcoin their two very separate things.

Pierce Brosnan.

 

[cesko]

Wow, I remember Casanova presenting back then improvements to a great technology, now a fraction of what it once was, Quicktime.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-exec-talks-up-quicktime-5-5000111066/

 

[Glockworkorange]

Wow, I remember Casanova presenting back then improvements to a great technology, now a fraction of what it once was, Quicktime.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/apple-exec-talks-up-quicktime-5-5000111066/

I vividly remember watching QuickTime movie trailers in Windows Vista maybe 10, 12 years ago in my Windows days.

What else did QuickTime do?

 

[lunarworks]

If they now have a dedicated head of marketing for AR that means they're confident with what's coming down the pipeline.

 

[citysnaps]

Does it really need marketing for such a mature, roughly seven year old, feature? AR tape measurement is a nice gimmick but no one is going to use it for anything serious unless they want their furniture making, building, etc. to come out crooked and fail code due to lack of accuracy and precision. Any life left for AR are hands-free translucent applications like car windshield HUD, low profile eyewear HUD, etc.

The cellphone market was "mature" for more than 15 years prior to iPhone's release.

"AR tape measurement is a nice gimmick but no one is going to use it for anything serious unless they want their furniture making,..."

I think it's best to try and see/think beyond the trivial.