Hmm, Apple appears to have an AR technique up its sleeve for today’s occasion

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This story belongs to Apple Event, our complete protection of the most recent news from Apple head office.

When Apple sent out invites to journalism and public to see its “unique Apple Event from Apple Park” on Sept. 15 through apple.com, the business consisted of a creative making of its logo design, in addition to 2 words: “Time Flies.” Most individuals translated that to suggest a next-generation Apple Watch, however there was an increased truth surprise that means far more. 

If you tapped on the Apple logo design, it would switch on your phone’s cam and begin revealing the artistic image on your desk, or beneath a tree, or beside your feline — anywhere you took place to be pointing your phone. It resembled 2016’s popular Pokemon Go, however for even nerdier geeks.

The AR tech that powers Apple’s adorable technique isn’t brand-new. In truth, enhanced truth is among the buzziest buzzwords in the tech market, with AR being viewed as an essential innovation of the future. It isn’t simply tech business like Google and Facebook that are delighted either. AR’s been emerging in sci-fi for years, consisting of on the TELEVISION programs Star Trek: Discovery and Picard (both produced by CNET owner CBS). 

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The world of AR hardware is largely led by Microsoft’s $3,500 HoloLens headset, which looks like an oversized pair of glasses. But put them on, and they overlay computer images onto the real world, like magic. Very expensive magic. Which is probably why the tech is mostly being used in hospitals, on oil fields and in manufacturing plants. Magic Leap, one of the best-funded private tech companies ever, at more than $3 billion since its founding in 2011, has largely lost its shine after its Magic Leap One proved a bit lackluster.

But AR in software is more prevalent, found everywhere from Pokemon Go to the Ikea app, which can superimpose digital versions of Poäng chairs and Billy bookcases all over your living room, thanks to your smartphone’s camera. Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok all have AR tech built in too, creating “filters” for changing people’s faces or adding new backgrounds.

Apple has talked up a big game about AR over the last few years too (Apple Glasses, for instance), and it’s expected to announce a headset that performs a similar type of trick in the next year, people familiar with the company’s thinking have told CNET. The headset, which is expected to be wireless and include other computer-imaging tricks, could be Apple’s next big thing.

While we wait for the iPhone maker to bestow yet another of its magical devices upon us, the invite’s trick has a lot of people wondering what Apple is going to talk about at today’s event. 

Here are some ideas.

AR in iPads

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A 3D room scan from Occipital’s Canvas app, enabled by depth-sensing lidar on the 2020 iPad Pro. Imagine this on iPhones next.


Occipital

This is the most likely answer. Apple’s been adding AR technology to its devices for years. Its ARKit software-development tools help companies identify where a phone is looking in a room so that they can overlay all sorts of stuff on the real world.

One of the most useful examples is Ikea’s furniture placement app, which feels magical when you first try it out. There’s also the demo that one developer made, of using an iPhone to re-create A-ha’s famous ’80s music video for the song Take On Me. 

Earlier this year Apple added new sensors to its iPads to make that all work even better. So maybe they’ll be added to the rumored new iPad Air units Apple is expected to announce too.

Regardless, expect Apple to boast how its latest devices add to it being “the world’s largest AR platform.”

AR education

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Google has already begun creating AR apps, like these life-size dinosaurs that you can see in the real world through your phone.


Google

Apple has always been interested in the education world. The first computer I ever used was an Apple computer in my school. And a lot of kids are using iPads in their schools now.

CNET Editor at Large Scott Stein said that if Apple does include the new AR sensors in the iPads, it may be as part of its pitch to schools. “What could be interesting to watch for is AR based classroom or educational software to use in remote learning,” Stein told me. “Google has pushed for similar initiatives in AR for years, and Apple still needs to find ways for AR to reach everyday people easily and helpfully.”

AR Apple Watches

I have no idea why you’d do this, but Apple could be adding AR technology to its Apple Watches. So you can scan a room with your wrist, maybe? The Apple Watch already makes and receives calls, plays music and controls my front door, which is more than comics hero Dick Tracy was ever able to do with his techy watch. 

AR Apple TV Plus shows

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Jason Mamoa in Apple’s See.


Apple

Apple went with star power last year when it released its sci-fi TV series See for its new $4.99 per month Apple TV Plus video subscription service. The show, about a postapocalyptic world filled with blind people, stars Jason Momoa — yeah, the guy known as the shirtless Dothraki leader Khal Drogo in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and the mostly shirtless Aquaman in Warner Bros. Justice League movie.

Now, what if you could have a shirtless Momoa in your living room?

Apple has apparently been working on content for your iPhone or iPad that’s inspired by Apple TV Plus shows. We don’t know what, so don’t get The Weather Girls’ It’s Raining Men queued up just yet. Bloomberg, which earlier reported on the move, suggested something more tame, like lunar rovers from the alternate-history space epic For All Mankind. 

AR iPhones

Though Apple’s September event today is likely going to be about iPads and Apple Watches, that doesn’t mean the tech giant can’t pull off a sudden surprise. Maybe while looking through the iPad’s new AR functions, Apple shows us the new iPhone 12 — voila, it was there all the time!