The iPhone maker has reportedly hired Virginia Tech professor Doug Bowman, a virtual reality expert who has won an award for his HoloLens projects. According to the Financial Times, Professor Bowman is renowned for his work in 3D user interfaces for both virtual and augmented reality experiences. It is unclear what his role will be at Apple, but the appointment has sparked rumours that the Cupertino firm could be planning to take on Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive and Sony’s PlayStation VR with a headset of its own.