With the number of streaming services rising, companies like Apple are battling for views and thinking about how to stand out from the crowd.

One way Apple is hoping to achieve that is through the rumored introduction of augmented reality to Apple TV+. Which will let you use your phone or tablet to interact with television shows.

Augmented Reality Is Coming to Apple TV+

According to a report from Bloomberg, augmented reality will be introduced to Apple TV+ in 2021.

Augmented reality allows you to use your phone or tablet to overlay characters or objects in the real world. For example, you could be watching one of Apple TV+'s new nature documentaries and use augmented reality to see a lion stroll across your living room.

This will be bonus content that goes alongside a show or film, rather than mandatory viewing, much like a director's commentary or deleted scenes.

According to those close to the project, Apple is planning to launch this new feature in 2021. It was planned for this year, but the coronavirus pandemic had an unforeseen impact on software development.

When Bloomberg contacted Apple for comment, its spokesperson declined to comment.

Enticing Apple TV+ Subscribers With Bonus Content

On top of augmented reality, Apple is also making moves in the podcast world.

The tech giant is believed to want to create podcast spin-off shows based upon its existing Apple TV+ catalog, along with original audio shows that could then be adapted for television.

While Apple TV+ costs $4.99/month, many users gained a free year when buying an Apple product. It'll soon be a year since the inception of that offer.

As such, a subscription package called Apple One is expected soon, which would bundle access to Apple TV+ with other services like Apple Music and Apple Arcade.

Is Virtual Reality Apple's Future?

It's rumored that virtual and augmented reality is going to play a big part of Apple's future, with its next iPhone including better scanners that support faster loading for augmented reality.

It's also rumored that Apple is set to release an augmented and virtual reality headset in 2022, with a set of AR glasses following in 2023.

Until then, it'll be exciting to see what new experiences Apple TV+ creates using augmented reality.

Interested in developing your own AR experience? Find out about ARCore and ARKit.