It’s the job postings that show where Apple’s going next.
Per 9to5Mac, following a series of job listings that indicated that Apple was looking to hire app engineers to build virtual reality experiences and “cinematic user interfaces” for future Apple products, some new details have surfaced. Apple has several new job listings on its website that give us more details about what it plans for virtual reality including a big focus on gaming. One job listing, for instance, is looking for a Game Engineer with experience in virtual reality and the latest game engines to “develop software combining state-of-the-art physics-based world simulation, visuals and Virtual Reality to enable Apple’s development of next-generation product.”
Another job listing seeking an app engineer hints again at gaming by requiring someone familiar with development on third-party virtual reality platforms Oculus Rift and Leap Motion.
A third new job listing is looking for a Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Programmer who also has experience with game engines like Unity and Unreal.
It’s also been noted that Apple has been experimenting with what appears to be virtual reality hardware of sorts for quite some time. An Apple patent popped up last year showing what looks a lot like an Oculus Rift-style headset described as a “goggle system for providing a personal media viewing experience”:
Apple hasn’t shown much interest in virtual reality despite a number of devices available for its own hardware from third parties. Several standalone experiences exist to compete with the hardcore gaming-focused Oculus Rift, while others, like Google’s recently launched Cardboard experiment, Pinc, and Samsung’s Gear VR, utilize an existing mobile device to offer a less expensive, casual experience. How Apple might implement its own VR experience into its existing or future products is currently unknown.
Earlier this year a report claimed that Apple was developing 3D iPhone display tech and software that doesn’t require the use of special glasses. The status of this project is currently unknown, but stay tuned and we’ll cover the details as they become available.