Skip to main content

Developers Demo Augmented Reality Improvements Coming in iOS 11.3

http://ift.tt/2DQHF0W

The iOS 11.3 update, seeded to developers and public beta testers last week, introduces ARKit 1.5, an upgraded version of the set of tools developers can use to create augmented reality apps for the iPhone and the iPad.

As it turns out, ARKit 1.5 can do a lot of neat things. It can map irregularly shaped surfaces for better detection of your surroundings, and it can also recognize and map vertical surfaces like walls and doors, so you can use AR to place and detect items on walls.

Over the course of the last week, developers have been testing out ARKit 1.5 and sharing short demo videos on Twitter, providing a look at just what will be possible with augmented reality apps when iOS 11.3 is available.


Vertical surface detection, for example, is shown off in the video below. A realistic-looking tunnel is projected on a wall, and while this doesn't have any immediate usage implications, it's a useful demo of how ARKit sees walls in iOS 11.3.


An example of how vertical plane detection can be used in augmented reality games is demonstrated in the video below, where creatures projected into open space take advantage of the area around them.


Another demo adds virtual artwork to a blank wall, a concept that could potentially be used in an art gallery or museum where art is invisible without a smartphone.


Vertical plane detection is used in the video below to show a realistic-looking virtual cockatoo coming through a window and landing on a windowsill.


In addition to mapping oddly shaped spaces and recognizing vertical surfaces, ARKit 1.5 also includes image detection features that work on everything from movie posters to barcodes, as demoed below. In the future, you might be able to scan a barcode with ARKit to get a virtual popup of nutritional information, calories, and more.


Image detection could be useful in settings like art galleries and museums, where visitors could use it to scan paintings and exhibits to receive more information, as shown off in the video below.


Though not visible in the demo videos shared by developers, ARKit 1.5 also introduces a higher camera resolution, so passthrough video is 1080p rather than 720p, and there's also support for autofocus capabilities, another feature that will improve the augmented reality experience on iOS devices.

Recent data has suggested that the ARKit framework has seen only modest adoption from developers and stagnating growth since its debut in iOS 11, but improvements like ARKit 1.5 may change that in the future. Augmented reality on iOS devices is still in its infancy and it will take time for developers and users to discover the best real-world use cases for the technology.

Apps using ARKit 1.5 will be available starting this spring when iOS 11.3 is released to the public.


Related Roundup: iOS 11
Tag: ARKit

Discuss this article in our forums



from MacRumors: Mac News and Rumors - All Stories http://ift.tt/2GAOSV0

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to Get a MacBook or MacBook Pro Keyboard Repaired Free Under Apple's Service Program

https://ift.tt/2tocBCJ Apple has initiated a new worldwide service program offering free repairs of MacBook and MacBook models equipped with low-profile, butterfly mechanism keyboards, after the company determined that "a small percentage" of the keyboards may develop one or more of the following issues: Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly Letters or characters do not appear Key(s) feel "sticky" or do not respond in a consistent manner Apple or Apple Authorized Service Providers will service eligible MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboards free of charge. Apple says the process may involve the replacement of one or more keys or the whole keyboard. The following MacBook and MacBook Pro models are eligible for the program: MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, Early 2015) MacBook (Retina, 12­-inch, Early 2016) MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, 2017) MacBook Pro (13­-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MacBook Pro...

How to like, comment, and add subscribers to shared photo albums on your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC

https://ift.tt/2q570On With iCloud Photo Sharing, you can share, like, and comment on photos and videos with friends and family around the world — no social media account needed. Making or subscribing to a shared photo album on iCloud is just the beginning: Once you're part of a shared album with your friends, family, or co-workers, you can add comments, like photos, invite more pals into the fray, and more. iCloud Photo Sharing: The ultimate guide If you want the social media experience without having to plaster your images across the internet, iCloud Photo Sharing offers some great tools for it. Here's how you can like your friends' images, add new people to an existing shared album, and add comment threads to photos and video. How to share albums with people who don't use iCloud How to add someone to a shared photo album How to remove someone from a shared photo album How to let other people add photos and video to your shared photo album How to like...

The Instant Pot Craze and How it's Disrupting Kitchens Everywhere

http://ift.tt/2InTBKj Pressure cooker? Slow cooker? Rice cooker? The Instant Pot is all of these things and more! The Canadian-designed Instant Pot is essentially a roided out slow cooker for half the price of most decent slow cookers on the market. There are several iterations of the Instant Pot, and it may just be able to replace every imaginable kitchen appliance you have. So what's the hubbub? Is the hype real? Let's take a look! See at Amazon What does it do? I think, in terms of kitchen capabilities, the better question is what doesn't the Instant Pot do? The lower-end versions have 6-in-1 functionality, while the Ultra, for example, can be a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, cake maker, egg cooker, sauté cooker, steamer, warmer, and sterilizer. Oh, and the 6-quart Ultra model is only $150 ... Somehow… Basically, the Instant Pot could be your tool for cooker just about everything. With many programmable cooking options, for everyt...