Apple may be eyeing a move into the virtual reality space…or something.
The company has posted a handful of job listings seeking engineers who are familiar with virtual reality tech like the Oculus Rift to develop future software for Apple.
“We are looking for a software engineer to develop UI and applications to create next generation software experiences,” reads one job description for an App Engineer position. “The individual must be able to take participate in collaborative and iterative UI design through the implementation phases & complete performant user experience code for product delivery. This engineer will create high performance apps that integrate with Virtual Reality systems for prototyping and user testing.”
The postings were first spotted by 9to5Mac.
This isn’t the first time Apple has shown interest in the virtual reality space. The company has filed for a few patents on video goggles that look strikingly similar to what Oculus and others are trying already.
Apple’s interest in VR is an interesting move, but not entirely unexpected. Some of the company’s largest competitors are already lining up their own plans for the VR space: Google has its Project Cardboard headset, Samsung is developing the Gear VR with Oculus, and Microsoft is using its Kinect sensor to power different augmented reality efforts.
And of course, there was Facebook’s blockbuster $2 billion acquisition of Oculus VR, which has an engineering office in Seattle and is one of the front-runners in the rush to bring virtual reality hardware to consumers.
Apple has a reputation for blowing the doors off a burgeoning market with products that stand out from an existing pack, and the virtual reality space seems like it could be primed for a move similar to what Apple did with smartphones and tablets.
