Brand New Apple TV Box with AR Technology Coming

Apple TV augmented reality

Adding augmented reality shows competitors the technology and know-how Apple possesses but is also a push to gain new market share.

Remember Google Glass?

Augmented reality has been around for some years now. Though not the pioneers of the term, maybe you remember Google Glass introduced in 2013.

They are a brand of smart glasses that resemble regular glasses but with additional information on a “heads-up” display embedded in the glasses. At their launch, they touted email, route navigation, exercise regimes, etc. as part of the package seen through the display. Due to privacy concerns Google Glass never went main-stream.

Introduction of augmented reality on mobile phones

Augmented reality was later introduced on Apple’s iOS phones in 2017 and Google’s Android phones that same year. Its purpose has varied from gaming (e.g., games played on racing tracks in living rooms) to retail (e.g., virtual furniture placement in homes before a consumer makes a purchase) or healthcare (e.g., educational purposes).

Apple now feels the time and technology is right for you to interact with your TV. Imagine watching your favorite nature show: you might be able to see elephants walking around your living room and get overlaying in-depth facts when you use your phone or tablet as a view finder.

Apple TV+ service required

This is not going to be a free service offered to anyone with an Apple TV Box and phone/tablet. You’ll have to subscribe to the Apple TV+ streaming video service.

Apple’s hope is more people will get interested in the possibilities of augmented reality combined with TV shows and movies.

Whether it will be a short-lived fad ending up going the way of 3D TV sets and the 3D movies of yesteryear is yet to be seen, but we have high hopes as augmented reality can be amazing when it’s used correctly.

Apple still has a small market share

The number of TV and video streaming devices in the world has reached more than 11 billion according to Strategy Analytics. Apple currently only holds a 2% market share of the market.

That number could go up as people garner interest in the technology and with Apple being the pioneers and only AR provider on streaming TV boxes — just as they were with iPhone in 2007.

Better gaming

Augmented reality is not the only new feature of the sixth-generation Apple TV. The new fast processor will also provide a solid base for better gaming experiences.

Apple Arcade still struggling

Apple Arcade offered on iPhones and iPads has been having a difficult time since its inception in 2019. Though its selection of nearly 300,000 free and paid games, Apple has not been as successful in building a lasting relationship with gamers as they had hoped for.

The new chipset will provide developers a more technologically advanced platform for how far they take their games. This means more complex and visually impressive games that could gain the attention from gamers that they had hoped for from the beginning.

New game controllers

With the new tvOS14 on the Apple TV, you’ll get access to new controllers for playing games on the set-top box: the Microsoft Elite Series 2 (known from Xbox) and the Adaptive controller.

Both will cater to the serious gamers of Apple Arcade by enhancing the playing experience.

Other features introduced

• A new Apple TV remote will be introduced. It is replacing the not-so-well-liked Siri voice remote of the Apple TV 4K generation.
• Better integration with HomeKit-enabled devices. With compatible devices, it will be possible to get doorbell notifications and surveillance feeds of visitors for example.
• Multi-user Arcade. Multiple accounts can be stored and selected in the Control Center, so gamers can pick up where they left off and save their game progress, friends and achievements individually.
• Picture-in-picture support. Watch a live football game while looking up player stats in another window — or check out if it’s the pizza guy at your door while you’re watching a movie!