It is not the first time Apple shows a key interest in virtual reality technology. By poaching Jaunt’s VR veteran Arthur Van Hoff, the technology giant reaffirms its position in this market. His role is to perform the duty of senior architect. Specific details remain rather unclear at this time, but the move has many people seemingly excited.
Jaunt Founder Executive Moves to Apple
For those who keep an eye on the tech industry, the connection Apple-Jaunt may not be all that new. Several years ago, the technology giant organized meetings with immersive content companies, which included Jaunt. At that time, Apple was not too sure how VR and AR would potentially affect their product and services moving forward. Three years later, it seems the firm is more than willing to explore either market.
Arthur Van Hoff has been with jaunt since the company was founded in 2013. His roles include CTO and a brief stint as CEO in 2016. Although the company has not been overly successful, it is now focused on mixed reality. This pivot came after laying off most of its staff. All of this is despite securing $65m in funding from Disney and other investors.
Although the exact purpose of van Hoff remains unclear, the move gets people speculating. It is a clear sign Apple is still interested in immersive technologies. How that will affect their overall roadmap in the coming years, has yet to be determined. For Jaunt, it seems they are losing one of their key staffers as part of this move. That company’s future now looks somewhat uncertain, albeit replacing a CTO is not impossible in this day and age.
One persisting rumor claims how Apple is working on an AR headset. It is possible the hiring of van Hoff is a key part in finalizing that design in the very near future. All of this is based on unconfirmed rumors, as Apple remains tight-lipped regarding its exact plans. Even so, a product announcement seems forthcoming in one way or another.
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