Research framework of technology giants in the direction of meta universe layout: push back the necessary elements with experience upgrading as the end, and divide the six layouts of meta universe research framework. The first is the hardware & operating system (VR / Ar / MR / BCI) that provides the meta universe experience, the second is the back-end infrastructure (5g / computing power and algorithm / Cloud Computing / edge computing) and underlying architecture (engine / development tools / digital twins / blockchain) that support the smooth operation of the meta universe, and the third is the artificial intelligence in the meta universe, which finally presents the content and scene of a hundred flowers in bloom, And a large number of collaborators providing technology and services emerged in the process of ecological prosperity of the meta universe. Our tracking of technology giants at home and abroad will also take the six territory of the meta universe research framework as the main line to dynamically compare the advantages and disadvantages of each giant. As a global technology giant, Apple has a lighthouse like pilot effect in the development of metauniverse, so we choose apple as the final chapter of this series.
Apple: shoulder the mission of pushing AR / VR devices to general-purpose hardware. Apple’s importance to the meta universe lies in its mission to promote AR / VR devices, the hardware portal of the meta universe, to general-purpose hardware. Compared with VR, apple is more optimistic about AR and has worked in the field of AR for many years. As the technology overlord in the era of mobile Internet, apple occupies absolute resource advantages in the field of hardware and software, and has a strong hardware ecosystem from PC to smartphone to AR glasses / head display. Although the first AR device has not been launched yet, from the development in recent years, Apple products support AR technology more and more soundly, whether iPhone or iPad. At present, apple focuses on the layout of hardware & operating system, underlying architecture, content and scene.
Hardware & operating system: Based on mature patents and technology reserves, Apple has the most potential to launch epoch-making new hardware. Meanwhile, apple continues the concept of closed-loop ecology and is committed to developing its own operating system. Arkit has iterated to the fifth generation;? Underlying architecture: Apple deeply lays out the core links of AR, develops both self-research and acquisition, and continuously enriches the underlying technical strength;? Content and scenario: Apple TV + plans to introduce AR function, and AR applications and games on the app store are gradually enriched.
In terms of meta universe layout, apple and meta belong to different camps. More willing to talk about AR than meta universe; AR is better than VR. Unlike meta founder Zuckerberg’s distinctive march into the meta universe, Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview with Time magazine in September 2021 that he would rather call it augmented reality (AR) than the so-called “meta universe”. Unlike meta’s efforts to build a software and hardware ecosystem with oculus VR head display as the entrance, Tim Cook has expressed strong confidence in AR in public for many times. Apple has quietly cultivated ar underlying technology and gradually improved the ecological layout for many years. Cook also explained his understanding of ar. he believed that AR is the superposition of virtual and real world, which is different from VR’s replacement of the real world. Ar will not distract people’s attention from the real world, but rather enhance the relationship between people and reality and enhance the cooperation between people.
On the premise that the metauniverse will eventually come, we try to deduce the beginning, midfield and end of apple metauniverse based on Apple’s resource endowment and existing layout.
Beginning: with a lot of accumulation, apple ar has pushed AR / VR devices into the mainstream.
Midfield: the closed and unified Apple ecology may breed a new value chain and social network.
(Anxin securities)
