Apple is intent on integrating augmented reality in one of the most anticipated devices of 2017, the iPhone 8. To reach that goal, the tech giant assigned over 1,000 engineers to the task.

The iPhone 8 is expected to launch with a bevy of features that the company hopes will not only help the smartphone stand out from the rest of the market but will change the industry itself. It has done so before and is looking to do it again. This time, Apple is hoping that augmented reality or AR is the game-changer it is looking for.

Augmented Reality in the iPhone 8

UBS analyst Steven Milunovich said in a note relayed to Business Insider that Apple has assigned over 1,000 engineers to work on AR and the possibility of using it on future Apple devices particularly the iPhone 8. The project is said to be based in Israel.

If Apple succeeds in bringing AR to the iPhone 8, it will not be the first to do so. As CNET noted, the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and Asus ZenFone AR are the first two smartphones with the Google Tango technology.

Tim Cook On Augmented Reality

Milunovich also mentioned that Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly commented on AR technology. In one instance, Cook said that Apple is "high on AR for the long run" and that it considers the tech a "great commercial opportunity".

Apple's Augmented Reality Investments

Aside from its CEO's comments, further proof that the tech giant is keen on AR is its acquisition of three companies involved in the technology. Two of the three acquisitions, PrimeSense and RealFace, are based in Tel Aviv which fuelled speculations that Apple is indeed working on an AR project in Israel. PrimeSense is involved in 3D sensing tech which is rumored to be the basis of Apple's new 3D front-facing camera with facial recognition. RealFace is focused on facial recognition, machine learning, and cyber security. The other acquisition, Metaio, is based in Germany and has created software that lets users apply different colors and finishes on different products.