Apple is getting onto the virtual pedestal
Introducing ARKit — Augmented Reality for iPhone and iPad
Apple is finally keeping up with other phone-based AR companies Google and Facebook by moving into the augmented reality world. ARKit is the name of Apple’s AR tool, and is one of the key features of Apple’s iOS 11 that will launch this fall.
“Augmented reality is the illusion that virtual objects are placed in the physical world.” WWDC 2017
This is how it works: ARKit is a mobile AR platform that has three distinct layers. 1st it offers tracking in real time in the physical environment where you are standing by using the iPhone’s camera and location. 2nd is the scene understanding. Understanding properties around your device, like where the ground floor is or a table to place your virtual coffee cup on. It also offers light estimation that matches the physical world to make the augmented world look like what you see outside the screen. The final layer is the rendering that allows you to build virtual content on real-world scenes. All together it creates the ARKit, enabling you to use the iPhone as, well, there’s no limits.
Click here to see for yourself how it works, and to see how other users have tested out the ARKit.
The benefits of AR is many. For instance, with virtual reality; IKEA made it possible to test their furniture in your living room to see if it fits before you buy it, which lets you avoid a lot of trouble with the IKEA flat boxes everyone loves to hate. It makes gaming more enjoyable and real-looking when you can play in 3D and use your surroundings as the gaming-world. For shopping, you can try on garments to see if it fits before you buy it to save time and money.
Phone-based AR is a game changer in the sense that limits are endless for what it can be used for. It will change the way we use all types of apps.
The most positive aspect of AR on the iPhone is that there’s no need for extra expenses, no need for glasses or other tools to make the AR possible. The camera is integrated in the phone, and with the ARKit, that’s all you need. It’s out of this world, yet virtually in it.
The downside: If you have iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, or another iPhone bought before 2015 or iPad Air or the latest iPod touch, you won’t be able to use the app since the feature only works on Apple A9 and Apple A10 processors.
Are you interested in hearing more about AR and how you can use it for your company? Take a look at Figmenta.com or contact us directly by clicking here
