Longtime iPhone Executive Named New Head of Augmented Reality Marketing

Apple has named longtime Apple employee and iPhone executive Frank Casanova as its first head of marketing for augmented reality, reports Bloomberg.

Casanova, who has been at Apple since 1988, is responsible for all aspects of product marketing for Apple's "augmented reality initiative," according to his LinkedIn profile.

arkit 2 lego
Prior to being named head of Apple's AR marketing effort, Casanova worked as Apple's senior director of ‌iPhone‌ partner marketing. He started at Apple as a product manager in May 1988, spent a short stint at another company for a year in 1997, and has been working at Apple since then. He was around for the launch of the ‌iPhone‌ as well as many other pivotal products.

As Bloomberg points out, Apple's decision to name a head of product marketing for augmented reality indicates the importance of the feature for the future of the company. Apple debuted ARKit, its augmented reality platform, in iOS 11, and made significant improvements to it in iOS 12.

ARKit turned Apple's iPhones and iPads the largest augmented reality platform available, with many apps now taking advantage of augmented reality capabilities.

Apple is also working on improved AR functionality for iPhones in 2020 through a laser-based 3D rear camera, and the company is said to have an augmented reality headset in the works, which could launch around the same timeframe.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iphone 16 display

iPhone 17's Scratch Resistant Anti-Reflective Display Coating Canceled

Monday April 28, 2025 12:48 pm PDT by
Apple may have canceled the super scratch resistant anti-reflective display coating that it planned to use for the iPhone 17 Pro models, according to a source with reliable information that spoke to MacRumors. Last spring, Weibo leaker Instant Digital suggested Apple was working on a new anti-reflective display layer that was more scratch resistant than the Ceramic Shield. We haven't heard...
iPhone 17 Air Pastel Feature

iPhone 17 Reaches Key Milestone Ahead of Mass Production

Monday April 28, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple has completed Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) for at least one iPhone 17 model, according to a paywalled preview of an upcoming DigiTimes report. iPhone 17 Air mockup based on rumored design The EVT stage involves Apple testing iPhone 17 prototypes to ensure the hardware works as expected. There are still DVT (Design Validation Test) and PVT (Production Validation Test) stages to...
iphone 17 air iphone 16 pro

iPhone 17 Air USB-C Port May Have This Unusual Design Quirk

Wednesday April 30, 2025 3:59 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to launch a dramatically thinner iPhone this September, and if recent leaks are anything to go by, the so-called iPhone 17 Air could boast one of the most radical design shifts in recent years. iPhone 17 Air dummy model alongside iPhone 16 Pro (credit: AppleTrack) At just 5.5mm thick (excluding a slightly raised camera bump), the 6.6-inch iPhone 17 Air is expected to become ...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Blue

20th Anniversary iPhone Likely to Be Made in China Due to 'Extraordinarily Complex' Design

Monday April 28, 2025 4:29 am PDT by
Apple will likely manufacture its 20th anniversary iPhone models in China, despite broader efforts to shift production to India, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In 2027, Apple is planning a "major shake-up" for the iPhone lineup to mark two decades since the original model launched. Gurman's previous reporting indicates the company will introduce a foldable iPhone alongside a "bold"...
apple watch ultra yellow

What's Next for the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Apple Watch SE 3

Friday April 25, 2025 2:44 pm PDT by
This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, which launched on April 24, 2015. Yesterday, we recapped features rumored for the Apple Watch Series 11, but since 2015, the Apple Watch has also branched out into the Apple Watch Ultra and the Apple Watch SE, so we thought we'd take a look at what's next for those product lines, too. 2025 Apple Watch Ultra 3 Apple didn't update the...
AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Tuesday April 29, 2025 1:30 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 13 New Features

Wednesday April 23, 2025 8:31 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iPhone 17 Pro on Desk Feature

All iPhone 17 Models Again Rumored to Feature 12GB of RAM

Tuesday April 29, 2025 3:36 am PDT by
All upcoming iPhone 17 models will come equipped with 12GB of RAM to support Apple Intelligence, according to the Weibo-based leaker Digital Chat Station. The claim from the Chinese leaker, who has sources within Apple's supply chain, comes a few days after industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max will all be equipped with 12GB of RAM. ...

Top Rated Comments

Simmias Avatar
81 months ago
How about producing a single useful AR application before trying to market the benefits? It’s troubling that Apple is marketing a “technology” instead of focusing on the user experience. This is something they have always avoided in the past, but Tim Cook’s enthusiasm for what AR will be and enable in the future (with Apple Glasses) has led them to promote a technology that has no current user benefit. They are blatantly trying to stoke developer and consumer interest now based on empty gimmicks, so they will have a strong platform once glasses are feasible.

It’s simply not practical to hold up a phone or tablet in front of one’s face as a viewing window, and there is no “killer app” or even one worth downloading. ARKit has existed for 2+ years and is still little more than a tech demo. One day AR will be transformative and create amazing experiences with immersive glasses, but until then, Apple should really shut up about it.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mi7chy Avatar
81 months ago
I think the measurement app is mostly for getting a ballpark figure. At least at the moment. I have used it to measure some things but I didn't need it with in 1/16th of an inch.
If one has to second guess with AR then it didn't need to be measured to begin with. Often it's quicker to use a tape measure.

As for accuracy and precision, AR measurement of 6'8" is off by +/- 2.5" for a 6'10.5" door so every door in the house will either not close or be a swinging type. No thanks. They're better off focusing their resources on more important priorities like Siri, iOS, Nvidia driver support, etc.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mi7chy Avatar
81 months ago
Does it really need marketing for such a mature, roughly seven year old, feature? AR tape measurement is a nice gimmick but no one is going to use it for anything serious unless they want their furniture making, building, etc. to come out crooked and fail code due to lack of accuracy and precision. Any life left for AR are hands-free translucent applications like car windshield HUD, low profile eyewear HUD, etc.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ryanwarsaw Avatar
81 months ago
How about producing a single useful AR application before trying to market the benefits? It’s troubling that Apple is marketing a “technology” instead of focusing on the user experience. This is something they have always avoided in the past, but Tim Cook’s enthusiasm for what AR will be and enable in the future (with Apple Glasses) has led them to promote a technology that has no current user benefit. They are blatantly trying to stoke developer and consumer interest now based on empty gimmicks, so they will have a strong platform once glasses are feasible.

It’s simply not practical to hold up a phone or tablet in front of one’s face as a viewing window, and there is no “killer app” or even one worth downloading. ARKit has existed for 2+ years and is still little more than a tech demo. One day AR will be transformative and create amazing experiences with immersive glasses, but until then, Apple should really shut up about it.
Meanwhile Microsoft heavily markets AR to the public at large that have no use for it. I am not an engineer who teaches deaf people to see sounds. Nobody has a viable AR product thus far but it would be insane not to keep trying.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Glockworkorange Avatar
81 months ago
How about producing a single useful AR application before trying to market the benefits? It’s troubling that Apple is marketing a “technology” instead of focusing on the user experience. This is something they have always avoided in the past, but Tim Cook’s enthusiasm for what AR will be and enable in the future (with Apple Glasses) has led them to promote a technology that has no current user benefit. They are blatantly trying to stoke developer and consumer interest now based on empty gimmicks, so they will have a strong platform once glasses are feasible.

It’s simply not practical to hold up a phone or tablet in front of one’s face as a viewing window, and there is no “killer app” or even one worth downloading. ARKit has existed for 2+ years and is still little more than a tech demo. One day AR will be transformative and create amazing experiences with immersive glasses, but until then, Apple should really shut up about it.
Man, did they hype AR with iOS 11.

AR was supposed to be the next breakthrough technology for Apple; the technology that was supposed to change the smartphone landscape forever.

What a joke--it's just awkward demo ware. All sizzle and no steak.

Not sure why they couldn't have at least put it into Apple Maps for walking directions (like Google is testing now). I'm sure they'd have made the interface beautiful and it'd certainly by more useful than AR Carrot Weather and AR PCalc. Yuck.
[doublepost=1549940049][/doublepost]
AR is more DOA than 3D or VR were. Maybe only blockchain is more useless! Google tried to make it a thing with Google Glass and failed miserably. Outside of education (anatomy, chemistry) and games for kids, there is literally no purpose for AR at the moment.

Sure everyone will measure stuff or see what furniture looks like with the IKEA or Amazon app at least once but the novelty wears off fast. Definitely not the game changer Tim made it out to be when introducing iOS 11.
Ha, Blockchain. Also supposed to change the world.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
lec0rsaire Avatar
81 months ago
Ha, Blockchain. Also supposed to change the world.
The hardcore blockchain evangelists still think it will cure everything! There are fewer of them out there post-bitcoin crash though.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)