China Daily talks with Apple CEO Tim Cook on AR, Chinese developers and more

As the world is closely watching what will be Apple Inc's first big move in augmented reality technology, China Daily asked Apple CEO Tim Cook what is the key for AR products (like AR headsets) to succeeding in the consumer market.

"I am incredibly excited about AR as you may know, and the critical thing in any technology, including AR, is putting humanity at the center of it. That is what we focus on every day," Cook said in the interview which was conducted online on the sidelines of Apple's 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference last week.

Currently, all eyes are on Apple to see when the company will unveil its first AR product. It has been 15 years since Apple unveiled the first-generation exciting-all iPhone in 2007, which later helped trigger a mobile revolution, deeply affecting people's work and lives. Now, global consumers are eager to know what the next big thing in tech is, and many place high hopes on AR.

At Apple's 2022 Worldwide Developers Conference last week, Apple did not reveal its much-speculated AR headset. Rumors have been going on for a long time that Apple is working on such a device.

Cook told China Daily that he is incredibly excited about the potential of AR. "For example, we have 14,000 AR kit apps on the App Store which provides an AR experience for millions of consumers worldwide."

The senior executive said the world is still at a very early stage of AR technology. "I could not be more excited about the opportunities in the space. Sort of stay tuned and you will see what we have to offer,"Cook said.

In the interview, Cook also spoke highly about Chinese app developers' innovation capabilities. "Chinese developers have always been at the cutting-edge, and continue to grow. I can't wait to see what they are going to do next."

Currently, Apple's iOS app ecosystem has more than 5 million third-party developers in China, up from 4.4 million about a year ago.

The double-digit growth showcases the resilience and enthusiasm of Chinese app developers who embrace the App Store to seek mobile growth opportunities amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

App developers from China continue creating new businesses and innovating in the fast-changing environment of the past two years, and are helping to build one of the most prosperous global markets today, experts said.