Apple's new iPad Pro is its first gadget built around augmented reality, potentially laying the foundation for future products rumored to be in the company's pipeline — like the iPhone 12 and AR smart glasses.
It also comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly discussed his enthusiasm for augmented reality. It's rare for Apple to drop hints about the new technologies and product areas the company is interested in before making an announcement. But CEO Tim Cook has been talking about augmented reality and its potential benefits
The company is also launching a new tool called the Scene Geometry API to help developers take advantage of the iPad Pro's new Lidar sensor. When employing this tool, a furniture app like Ikea, for example, should be able to better understand the dimensions of the space next to your couch so it could suggest lamps or end tables that fit within that space.
Adding Lidar to the iPad Pro before bringing it to the iPhone — its biggest and most important product — is also a smart move on Apple's part. Doing so could help potential shoppers better understand what Lidar does and why it matters. It could also provide developers with time to create new apps for it, before bringing the feature to the iPhone.