Could virtual reality be the next big thing in technology? The Oculus Rift has managed to garner a lot of attention, so much so to the point where Facebook felt compelled to snap up the company for themselves. Sony is also working on a virtual reality headset of their own, and Samsung has the Gear VR. Heck, even Google attempted virtual reality with Cardboard, so who’s next? Apple? Well in the past there have been hints at Apple’s interest in the technology thanks to patent filings, but a recent job listing on Apple’s website, it looks like Apple’s interest in the technology is still just as present as ever.
Apple is hinting at its interest in developing apps for virtual reality experiences and hiring engineers to assist in the efforts. The evidence comes from a new job listing that Apple posted over the weekend seeking app engineers experienced with 3D graphics, virtual reality, and augmented reality. More specifically, Apple is looking for app developers to build user interfaces and “high performance apps that integrate with Virtual Reality systems for prototyping and user testing.” The job listing doesn’t provide many other details in terms of what exactly Apple is working on, but it sure sounds a lot like the company is interested in developing virtual reality and or augmented reality experiences of some kind. As for what “virtual reality systems” Apple is referring to, it’s unclear if the company has plans to integrate software with third-party hardware— like the growing number of iPhone accessories for VR experiences— or perhaps its own virtual reality hardware of sorts. Even more interesting is the fact that an Apple patent popped up last year showing what looks a lot like an Oculus Rift-style headset.
