Tim Cook talks AR, iPad mini, and Apple's virtual launch event

Following its iPhone 13 unveiling, Apple CEO Tim Cook has talked about the benefits of having virtual events, plus what his favorite features of Apple Fitness+ are.

Tim Cook has discussed Apple's "California Streaming" event in a video interview with YouTuber iJustine. Alongside enthusing about Apple's new products, he also spoke about AR, Apple's retail work, and group Apple Fitness+ workouts.

"It's so great to get such a positive response from people," Cook said of having a launch video shot in Apple Park, "and it's it's great to invite people here, so that they can get a glimpse of what it looks like inside, and sort of pull back the curtain a bit on Apple Park."

Cook was pressed about one of the surprise elements of the event, which was the degree to which the iPad min has been updated.

"It's our biggest upgrade ever for iPad Mini," he said. "It's huge, and people use it in so many different ways we wanted to appeal to all of these type of usages."

"People really love the power of having this incredible device in the palm of their hand," he continued. "It's amazing all the use cases of it which is when you have something so ultra portable like this, it's incredible where it goes."

Tim Cook also spoke about how he finds Apple Watch and Apple Fitness+ are integrating in ways that make people work out more.

"I can't imagine doing a workout now without the Apple Watch," he said. "[What is] pretty amazing to me [is to see what] I used to think I did, versus what I really do. And you know the watch sort of motivated me to begin to do what I thought I was doing before."

Interviewer iJustine noted that Apple's event did not say a great deal about AR, yet its use of LiDAR in devices suggests it's becoming more important.

"I am so excited about AR," said Cook. "I think AR is one of these very few profound technologies that we will look back on one day and go, how did we live our lives without it?"

"And so right now you can experience and experience it in thousands of ways," he continued, "using your iPad or your iPhone, but of course, those will get better and better over over time already."

"It's a great way to shop," said Cook. "It's a great way to learn it enhances the learning process, I can't wait for it to be even more important in collaboration, and so forth. So, I am AR fan number one."