As noted by Thinknum (via 9to5Mac), it seems that Apple is trying to put together a team dedicated to AR. One of the jobs that was listed in July also seemed to reference how AR could be used towards digital maps, which has led to speculation that Apple’s hiring could be looking at adding AR in Apple Maps.
The job’s description reads, “Digital maps have become essential tools of our everyday lives, yet despite their ubiquity, they are still in their infancy. From urban mobility to indoor positioning, from LIDAR to Augmented Reality, advances in technology and new kinds of data are powering innovations in all areas of digital mapping. If you love maps and are passionate about what is possible, you will be in great company.”
While Apple Maps did not get off to a very good start, Apple has been making improvements to it slowly and over time, such as indoor mapping. We’re not sure how AR could be used in Apple Maps, or whether it will be used at all, but Apple’s interest in the matter is a bit hard to ignore.