Report claims AR is coming to Apple TV+
A small step for man, a big step for Augmented Reality
Is Apple filming Apple TV+ content in an Augmented Reality (AR)-ready video format?
No one’s said anything to that effect as yet, but it seems possible it had planned to do so, on strength of news it plans to add AR content to Apple TV+ next year.
Augmentation for the rest of us
The report describes additional AR content made available to TV+ viewers, rather than some evolution of Apple TV into a holographic movie center. The idea is that you’ll use your iPhone to explore AR content, such as characters or interactive items, while you watch a show.
How it works
Bloomberg explains it thusly:
“In the new feature, elements of a TV show, like characters or objects, would be displayed on a viewer’s phone or tablet and integrated into the surrounding environment, according to people familiar with the project. For example, someone watching a moon-walking scene in the Apple show “For All Mankind” might be able to see a virtual lunar rover on their device’s display, seemingly perched atop their living room coffee table.”
It’s also possible that elements of some shows may be presented using AR while the show is in progress on your TV screen.
I can also imagine this may eventually become a wonderful feature for sports coverage – enabling in-depth examination of key moments of a football game, for example.
There may also be implications in shopping, given the retail industry’s growing use of AR in their apps.
I think of this as similar to the message from Princess Leah carried by R2D2 in Star Wars, but rather than seeing this on the TV you may see that missive in your front room.
When is this coming?
The report claims the company plans to add these features to Apple TV+ in 2021, ahead of a planned Apple Glasses launch in 2022.
The original plan was to introduce the feature this year, but COVID-19 has meant the suspension of most film production, so the content literally isn’t there (yet).
This is just the latest in a long line of Apple TV+ news in recent weeks as the company – which allegedly intends extending its free TV+ subscription offers this year – prepares to woo existing free subscribers to begin paying for the service.
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