The Financial Times reports that Apple has acquired Flyby Media, an augmented reality developer that specialises in computer vision software. Flyby previously collaborated with Google on Project Tango, an AR tablet powered by 3D positioning tech.
Flyby is just the latest in a long line of acquisitions and hires with which Apple is reportedly building a "secret research unit" from these hundreds of newly-acquired staff. This includes Doug Bowman, director of Virginia Tech's centre for human-computer interaction; AR startup Metaio; facial capture tech developer Faceshift; and Emotient, developer of facial recognition software.
The Financial Times also reports that, according to people familiar with Apple's new initiative, that Apple has for months been developing "prototypes of possible headset configurations". This comes after the news that Apple was granted a patent last year for the development of an iPhone and Apple Remote-compatible headset.
No one is entirely sure what Apple's efforts in the space are building toward, though the company's string of acquisitions point toward augmented reality technology with a focus on facial capture and recognition. In an earnings call earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook said of VR: "It is really cool and has some interesting applications." It's the first public comment Apple has made about the medium.
If Apple enters the VR/AR fray, it won't just be Oculus and HTC the company will compete with, as Google is reportedly looking to manufacture its own consumer VR/AR hardware sometime in the near future.
