Apple Making Tools to Let People Easily Build AR Apps–with Siri? [Report]

Apple reportedly wants an easy way for people to build augmented reality apps, that might even be assisted by the company’s Siri voice assistant, reports The Information.

Unnamed sources say Apple plans to let Siri build an AR app when asked through its upcoming mixed-reality headset. These apps would then be able to submit to the Apple App Store for everyone to download.

Apple will reportedly be leveraging its 2017 acquisition of Canadian company Fabric Software for these new AR app tools. Fabric co-founder, Peter Zion, is said to be heading up this development tool project, which is said to be leveraging the company’s Fabric Engine that lets developers easily create AR environments and objects.

“The tool, for example, could allow users to build an app with virtual animals moving around a room and over or around real-life objects without the need to design the animal from scratch and calculate its movement in a 3D space with obstacles,” reports The Information.

Sources also say Apple’s own AR apps might concentrate on health and wellness, possibly tying into the company’s existing Fitness+ service and also Apple Watch.

Apple executives reportedly are favouring AR over VR, which falls in line with what CEO Tim Cook has been saying over the years.

Recent reports say Apple will debut a new mixed-reality headset sometime in 2023, with a rumoured price of a whopping $3,000 USD.