Since the mid 2010s, Cook has been a strong advocate for augmented reality (AR) technology. In 2016, he likened the technology’s potential to one of the most basic routines of daily life.
“I do think that a significant portion of the population of developed countries, and eventually all countries, will have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day,” Cook said.
He continued to tout AR’s importance in the coming years. In 2022, he said, “We are really going to look back and think about how we once lived without AR,” CNBC reported.
The CEO’s confidence in the technology came as competitors began to invest heavily in virtual reality (VR). Meta’s “Horizon Worlds” offered a full VR experience for users, but Cook talked down the technology and affirmed that Apple would be putting its eggs in the AR basket. (Last month, Meta announced it would wind down the “Horizon Worlds” VR experience, before swiftly clarifying it would remain.)
Apple has incorporated AR technology into its products, from Memoji avatars to practical uses like the iPhone’s “Measure” app. Apple’s proprietary ARKit framework enables third-party developers to create AR apps for Apple devices.
SQ Magazine reported that, in 2025, approximately 60% of Americans use AR. Each day, as many as 500 million users engage with AR filters and lenses on platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat, it reported.
