KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is again making predictions and releasing reports, with the latest outlining why Kuo believes it makes perfect sense for Apple to focus on augmented reality to the detriment of any Apple Car project that was previously a priority.
In the wake of news that Apple Car, or Project Titan has now ceded to a project that instead focuses on autonomous driving software, Kuo believes that Apple’s intentions for augmented reality marry perfectly well with work on an autonomous driving system.
Speaking via a newly published research note, Kuo confirmed that he expects Apple to have augmented reality up and running within the next two years, with the iPhone potentially playing host.
Assuming Apple successfully develops AR, we predict the firm will enjoy the following competitive advantages: (1) redefining existing key products and leading competitors by three to five years. For instance, this could happen for iPhone, iPad and Mac; (2) eliminating obstacles of Apple Watch and Apple TV by offering an innovative user experience; and (3) entering new business fields, such as autonomous driving system. We expect Apple to generate preliminary results for AR in the next 1-2 years at the earliest and working with iPhone may be the first step.
If Apple is to enter the augmented reality market, it needs to do it soon. Kuo notes that the market is expected to grow significantly within 2018, with the technology replacing virtual reality as the new, futuristic technology we all clamor for.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has spoken about augmented reality a number of times, and Apple has been acquiring companies working in the AR/VR space, namely Metaio, Flyby Media and Faceshift, through the course of the past year, suggesting the company is already working on something that takes advantage of the technology whether that is a car-related project or something based on iOS. At this point, we wouldn’t like to guess which is the more likely.
But what do you guys think about this? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
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