Technology evolves very quickly and as it has evolved, technology comes into our lives changing the way we operate everyday. A lot of technology that we take for granted today seems like something out of a science fiction movie not too long ago. So what is the next giant leap in technology? A writer for Bloomberg Businessweek, Ben Kunz, thinks it’s going to be holograms.
Apple and holograms
Will our Apple devices soon display interactive holograms? If you are having difficulty visualizing what this would be like, imagine technology similar to what Robert Downey Jr.’s character employed in the movie The Avengers. Kunz’s prediction is not simply a guess; he has based it on recent acquisitions and patents from Apple. Not only that, but Apple has to stay ahead of the competition, which is brutal, in the tablet world.
Apple's plans
So how exactly could interactive holograms be created? Using forward-facing cameras the user’s eyes could be tracked and a screen that projects beams of light could be used to create different angles of the object. This could produce a very realistic hologram that would maintain its visual integrity.
The future of 3D?
What’s the most significant issue with 3D holograms? 3D technology has so far failed to capture the imagination of consumers. Kunz writes that the sale of 3D TV sets have been sluggish. Even games like Nintendo's 3DS handheld system, which do not require players to wear 3D glasses, have seen lukewarm sales. So why would Apple invest heavily in the technology to produce holograms? Apple seems to have a history of taking failed ideas and making them become successful. This goes all the way back to the days when Apple took the idea for the mouse from Xerox, made it more efficient, and saw sales soar. Apple also debuted its iPhone and iPad devices long after Microsoft first tried to introduce a pen-based tablet PC that never quite caught on. Also, Apple's 3D holograms will be different. They'll be considerably more realistic, and they won't require users to wear 3D glasses to view them. So what’s the message here? Get prepared for holograms. Once Apple's programmers get to work on a technology, they rarely misfire.
