Editors' pick: Originally published Feb. 13.
Apple's (AAPL) next iPhone may finally silence the critics and lap its competitors.
The iPhone 7 wasn't the upgrade that many investors were looking for, but the next model, rumored to be named the iPhone X or iPhone 8, is expected to pack several new features in honor of the flagship smartphone's 10th anniversary.
Analysts have gotten more and more excited about the possibility of Apple integrating augmented reality (AR) technology into the iPhone 8. AR meshes computer-generated graphics, sounds and data with a user's real-world environment, such as Nintendo's (NTDOY) popular Pokemon Go app, as opposed to virtual reality, which generates an immersive, completely simulated reality experience.
Shares of Apple were advancing 0.9% to $133.43 on Monday afternoon, inching closer toward its intraday trading high of $134.54, which the stock hit in April 2015. Apple's stock is up 15% since the beginning of the year.
There are several signs that show an AR function may actually come to fruition. Recent comments from CEO Tim Cook are the most obvious indicator.
Cook told The Independent on Friday that he's excited about AR technology and that he believes it can enhance the way we communicate with others, unlike virtual reality technology, which tends to cut off real, face-to-face interactions. The comments provided a rare, relatively candid glimpse into Cook's view on a type of technology that he said could one day be as disruptive as the smartphone.
"The smartphone is for everyone, we don't have to think the iPhone is about a certain demographic, or country or vertical market: it's for everyone," Cook said in the interview. "I think AR is that big, it's huge."
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