April 2019 is almost over, which means it’s time to look back and see what’s changed in the Augmented Reality industry.
Google and Childish Gambino Release a Multiplayer AR App
Google and Childish Gambino are teaming up again for another augmented reality experience.
Following the arrival of the Coachella headliner as a Playmoji on Pixel cameras earlier this year, the pair have released a multiplayer app called Pharos AR.
The app allows users to open up an AR portal in their living room (or where ever else they happen to be), and then step into the outer space world of “Pharos.”
Once in space, they can unlock several elements of the song with the help of some mystical dancers, until it is finally time for a musical lift-off.
Shutterstock Creates an Augmented Reality Feature
Shutterstock added the “View in Room” augmented reality tool to its iOS app, enabling users to preview approximately 250 million images on vertical surfaces.
The feature is based on Apple’s ARKit framework that was originally announced in 2017 alongside iOS 11.
When viewing a photo, users can select the “View in Room” button to enter the usual surface-detection process. Once the app gets its bearings, users can place the photo into their physical environment and resize it.
Users can proceed to purchase a license for the photo once satisfied with how it looks in their space.
Shutterstock explains that users are increasingly using its imagery as wall artwork, and this “View in Room” feature makes it easy for people to visualize how an image might look in a particular room with AR.
Snapchat Launches Scan, Its AR Utility Platforms
Snapchat’s camera has officially morphed into an AR platform – and it has so much potential for both Snap and its users.
Snap is unveiling a new initiative called Scan, and it’s expected to roll out to all users soon.
It’s an augmented reality platform that allows companies to create new AR experiences that utilise Snapchat’s camera. Upon launch, Scan will feature a partnership with Photomath, helping users solve math problems just by pointing their camera at the problem.