As a rule, Apple gives very little insight into upcoming products and just as seldom does one hear an “opinion” on a trend such as folding smartphones or the Metaversum. However, Tim Cook has now commented on the latter.
Apple CEO Tim Cook gave a surprising insight into the company’s investments as part of the company’s latest earnings release. Tim Cook said that Apple sees the potential of the metaverse very clearly and is investing accordingly. He doesn’t use the word “metaverse” to describe it, but according to online magazine Apple Insider, it was very clear what the Apple CEO was referring to.
A few small leaks and a plethora of rumors suggest that Apple will play a major role in the future of virtual reality, commonly referred to by some as the “Metaverse.” When asked about the Metaverse, Cook said, “We’re an innovation company. We already have over 14,000 AR apps on the App Store.”
However, this answer is the CEO’s blanket answer when asked about AR/VR or anything else in this space. With similar words he had already expressed himself generally on the subject. The metaverse refers to a still conceptual idea that in the future people will use virtual reality headsets to do work, attend events, or socialize. First attempts with such a reality come from Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
Metaverse “taboo” at Apple
Apple is rumored to be working on a VR headset that could launch as late as 2022. Such a headset would allow humans to interact with the Metaverse. But at least Apple will certainly have a different name for it, as previous reports have indicated that the term is “taboo” at Apple. Cook’s mention of augmented reality applications is not surprising. Ever since Apple added LiDAR sensors to the iPad Pro and iPhone 12 Pro, the company has been pushing for mainstream AR experiences.