Apple's next big thing is augmented reality

San Francisco

TIM Cook has talked up a lot of technologies since becoming Apple Inc's chief executive in 2011. Driverless cars. Artificial intelligence. Streaming television. But no technology has fired up Mr Cook quite like augmented reality (AR), which overlays images, video and games on the real world.

Mr Cook has likened AR's game-changing potential to that of the smartphone. At some point, he said last year, we will all "have AR experiences every day, almost like eating three meals a day. It will become that much a part of you". Investors impatient for Apple's next breakthrough will be happy to know that Mr Cook is very serious about AR.