Time to play with AR Creation Tools
Apple has the ability to reinvent the Virtual/Augmented/Mixed reality market,
Like they did the ‘smartphones/PDA/Mobile’ market.
When released the iPhone wasn’t the most capable nor advanced smartphone. But it was the convergence of several technologies, and CX use-cases, wrapped around an amazing magical multitouch experience.
Apple's current converging assets:
☐ M1 architecture: allows for incredible processing/power ratio
☐ LiDAR: granular 3d physical mapping
☐ Spatial audio: true 3d perceptive audio control
☐ Years of experience with the multi sensors in iPhone (accelerometer compass, etc)
☐ Advanced physical camera/lens experience
☐ The software and the platform to control all of the above hardware at a fine-grained level.
Apple not only has the hardware, platform and intellectual property, but they are aligning the creator, and developer community.
Very rapidly end user creation tools are ‘coming of age’. Apples core apps Preview, Safari, iMessage allow for the import of interactive 3d models. You can use your iPhone’s LiDAR to create models on the fly.
Apple is also remastering its massive content library for spacial audio, 3d capable video experiences, and ultra high res/high frame rate (necessary to fully complete an illusion of reality with a VR/AR/MR device)
Apple doesn’t compromise. You won’t see an apple VR/AR headset that is tethered to a box. It won’t isolate the user.
In my mind, the convergence needs to be around some novel headset screen, one that is not isolating, that allows for immersive VR/AR/MR, not some box on your head or belt.
I am sure Apple is scouring for the magical unifying tech, to converge tech, and CX again.
Everything that exists now (Leap, MSFT, Oculus etc) feel like Palm, Microsoft, Blackberry back in the early PDA era. But Apple’s alignment of hardware, software, creation tools; could foundational change current VR/AR/MR experiences (why have controllers when Apple’s Lidar could allow for gestures, eye tracking etc)
So what is my advice?
If you have a passion around creation and technology.
START LEARNING the 3d creation tools, Apple Reality Kit, Swift, Object capture, Adobe Substance.
The file formats and best workflows (USDZ, gITF, FBX, OBJ etc)
Industries will be hungry for people who understand and are fluent in the tools, processes, and concepts. Not just gaming, but manufacturing, retail, product design, education, etc.
The tools are becoming easy and available enough, to be approachable to someone who is eager, and passionate to play with and learn. But there is enough of a barrier that your acquired skills will be valuable and magical for those who will want and need em.
Original Linkedin post: https://bit.ly/2X52q84
(worth clicking on the original Linkedin Post, because the comments are amazing and often the conversation is better than the original post)