Apple (AAPL) Hires Noted VR Professional Amid Continued R&D Push

Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is said to have hired a virtual reality professional as the company looks to compete more wholly with the likes of Alphabet, Microsoft, and Samsung in the segment.

The Financial Times said Doug Bowman joined Apple after taking a sabbatical from Virginia Tech, where he served as a computer science professor and was director for the university's center for human-computer interaction.

Bowman's professional bio says that he researched "three-dimensional user interface design and the benefits of immersion in virtual environments."

Bowman is also said to have won several industry awards for his work in virtual reality and 3-D interfaces.

Apple has moved to make various acquisitions around the VR world. The company's interest in VR is said to have grown within the last half-year or so.

It wasn't made clear what Bowman's role at Apple would be.

Shares of Apple are indicated higher Friday.

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