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iOS 11 ARKit iPad

Apple introduced its platform for developing augmented reality experiences for iPhone and iPad at WWDC 2017 in June. One of the most impressive aspects of the new platform is that new or specific hardware isn’t required, any of Apple’s iPhones or iPads with an A9, A10 chip or newer will be compatible with the platform.

ARKit apps will arrive to the public with the release of iOS 11 and Apple has claimed it will be the largest AR platform in the world. We’ve already seen a wide-range of uses for augmented reality as developers create and prepare new apps. And augmented reality may become much bigger than virtual reality (at least for now) thanks to ARKit.

Tim Cook has said “I regard it [AR] as a big idea like the smartphone.” He’s also shared “I’m excited about Augmented Reality because unlike Virtual Reality which closes the world out, AR allows individuals to be present in the world but hopefully allows an improvement on what’s happening presently.

New AR demo apps preview hair coloring, and a fun way to leave messages for kids [Videos]

Augmented reality looks set to have quite an impact on the beauty sector. After recently looking at a demo app for lipstick and other make-up, AR specialist ModiFace is back with a new demo app – this one allowing you to see how different hair colors would look before you take the plunge.

Using AI powered by analysing a staggering 220,000 hair color photos, the app shows in real-time video how your hair would look in any color of your choice …


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The cool AR apps keep coming, with virtual art and visual Bluetooth tracking [Videos]

Augmented Reality may have been around for decades in various forms, but it’s clear that Apple’s enthusiastic backing in the form of ARKit has breathed new life into the medium.

We’ve already seen demo apps for such diverse things as virtual make-up counters, car manuals, film-making, music videos, navigation and much more. And the latest examples allow you to try out paintings by seeing how they’ll look when hung in your home, and track down your misplaced belongings visually …


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Developers share more ARKit details – like the fact that it can’t (yet) detect walls

We’ve been learning more about ARKit over the past couple of days, Apple yesterday sharing its Human Interface Guidelines for the technology – and getting a better look at the Ikea app first teased at WWDC back in June.

CNET has teased out a few more details from developers working with the framework, including the somewhat surprising fact that ARKit can’t detect walls …


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Latest cool ARKit demo shows live preview of lipsticks, virtual make-up counter [Videos]

The cool ARKit demo apps keep coming. The latest one, from a developer specializing in augmented reality apps for the beauty industry, shows how trying on lipstick could become a whole lot easier.

ModiFace has put together two videos showing how the tech works. In the first, the woman simply shoots some front-facing video of herself while the app virtually applies different shades of make-up …


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Apple supplier reports huge orders of 3D sensing component ahead of iPhone 8

During its FQ4 conference call this morning, Apple supplier Lumentum reported a huge increase in orders for 3D sensing laser components thought to be included in the upcoming iPhone 8 to enable advanced augmented reality features, as noted by analyst Gene Munster at LoupVentures. To be specific, the company has $200M in orders during the quarter up from just $5 million in revenue for the 3D sensing tech during the June quarter.

Based on the new info from Lumentum, Munster is predicting around 55m units of the next-gen iPhone models with the 3D sensing camera tech this year and capacity for around 160m next year:


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Demo created with ARKit and Unity3D shows the potential of AR for film-making [Video]

AR

We’ve already seen how ARKit is helping developers create some impressive augmented reality apps, from virtual tape measures and navigation to fun things like games. But it’s looking increasingly like we might see film-makers employing the technology to blend virtual characters with real ones.

We got a taste of this recently with a demo app replicating an 80s music video, and now indie game developer Duncan Walker has put somewhat frighteningly realistic robot soldiers onto the streets of London …


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Latest ARKit demo app performs 16 weeks of hand-drawn animations in real-time [Video]

When Michael Patterson and his partner Candice created the animated pencil sketch animations for A-ha’s music video Take on Me back in the 80s, they did all the drawings by hand and it took them 16 weeks, working flat out.

Video game company Trixi Studios has now used Apple’s ARKit to create an app that achieves the same thing in real-time …


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Apple marketing chief says reaction to ARKit is ‘unbelievable’ & talks machine learning in new interview

iOS 11 ARKit iPad

One of the biggest announcements earlier this month at WWDC was the introduction of ARKit, Apple’s framework for helping developers build augmented and mixed reality experiences. In an interview with The Australian Business Review, Apple’s vice president of product marketing Greg Joswiak dives deeper into the goals of ARKit…


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Simple but brilliant tape measure apps show just how useful AR is going to be [Video]

App developers have been having fun with Apple’s ARKit to put together augmented reality apps. We’ve seen a bunch of these already, and two developers have now shown how you can use an iPhone as a tape measure.

It might sound like a boring application, but just look at how much easier it is to measure things in augmented reality …


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Nike SNKRS iOS app adds AR features to make exclusive sneaker releases interactive

Nike announced today that it’s now using augmented reality features through its iOS app to make exclusive sneaker releases a more interactive experience. Using its Nike+ SNKRS app popular among those trying their luck at purchasing in-demand shoe releases, Nike is integrating AR features that will make some new sneakers only available to those that unlock them through viewing real-world items via their iPhone’s camera.


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Jibestream says it will support indoor Apple Maps, Branding Brand adopts ARKit for retail clients

Two companies have announced plans to adopt new Apple technologies coming this fall with iOS 11. Jibestream says it will work with clients to provide indoor mapping data to Apple Maps which is new to iOS 11, and Branding Brand says it plans to use ARKit to build augmented reality experiences for retail apps.


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