Mobile AR News News
News: This AR App Could Make Your Next Dentist Visit Less Frightening
For some, going to the dentist can be a terrifying experience, but a new use of augmented reality could go a long way toward making the trip feel more like it's worth the orthodontic angst.
News: Bill Gates-Edited Time Magazine AR Cover Works on Apple's iPhone, Skips Microsoft's HoloLens
It seems fitting that Time magazine's first augmented reality cover is an issue guest edited by Bill Gates, since the company he founded is currently leading the AR charge via the HoloLens.
News: InstaSaber Lets You Harness the Star Wars Force in AR with Only an iPhone & a Piece of Paper
If you want your own lightsaber, you don't need to be a Jedi or have kyber crystals in your possession; now, thanks to augmented reality, all you need is an iPhone and a rolled up piece of paper.
News: Niantic Boss Throws Shade at Star Wars AR Between Reveals of Pokémon Go China & Harry Potter Launch Timeframe
In the midst of outlining plans to release Pokémon Go in China and debut its new Harry Potter game during the back half of 2018, Niantic CEO John Hanke turned to the dark arts by taking a swipe at the company's AR gaming competition.
News: Niantic Casts Procrastination Spell on Harry Potter Augmented Reality Game
Harry Potter fans can set down their wands for a spell, as the highly-anticipated augmented reality game from Niantic based on the franchise won't arrive until after July at the earliest.
Apple AR: iPhone X Face-Masking App Gives New Meaning to 'Incognito Mode'
Augmented reality developers are rapidly bringing science fiction tropes into the real world, with the latest example leveraging the TrueDepth camera on the iPhone X to emulate the cloaking technology made famous by movies like Predator and Marvel's The Avengers.
News: Apple's iPhone X Animojis Are Now Invading Your Favorite TV Shows
Just a day after the release of the iPhone X, the music-meets-comedy pastime known as Animoji Karaoke quickly emerged as one of the popular (albeit frivolous) features used to justify spending $1,000 for Apple's newest smartphone.
News: Twitter Hijacks Tim Cook's Pokémon Go Tweet with iPhone Battery Complaints
To commemorate the rollout of the AR+ update for Pokémon Go, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter to promote and celebrate the moment his company's ARKit platform made possible.
Apple AR: With These Holiday Apps, You Can Build Snowmen, Beat Up Elves, or Spin Driedels in AR
No matter what your holiday preference, you're probably aware that Christmas is now just days away. By now, you've already decked your halls with boughs of holly (either physically or virtually), thanks to our last holiday app roundup.
Apple AR: ARKit Update for Pokémon Go Makes Monsters Bigger & Smarter
If you ever thought the Snorlax in Pokémon Go should be taller, and you have an iPhone compatible with ARKit, get ready to look up.
News: Honda Thaws Our Cold Hearts with Augmented Reality Get Well Cards for Hospitalized Children
Augmented reality has given companies worldwide great powers for innovating business practices and engaging customers, but on Monday, Honda demonstrated that with great power, also comes great social responsibility.
Apple AR: Make Song Lyrics Flow Right Out of Your Speakers with This iPhone Augmented Reality App
So you want to do Kendrick Lamar's "HUMBLE." in Animoji Karaoke, but you need the lyrics. Well, now you can see those rhymes spit out in augmented reality.
Hands-on: I Went to Battle in Augmented Reality with Father.IO & Lived to Tell About It
Last week, augmented reality startup Proxy42 released Father.IO, a multiplayer game that turns any indoor or outdoor space into a laser tag arena.
News: Snapchat Claps Back at Facebook by Letting Users Create Custom AR Lenses with Lens Studio
On Thursday, Snapchat opened up its walled garden of World Lenses to the masses of creators with the launch of Lens Studio.
Apple AR: Fruit Ninja Makers Aim for Viral AR Gaming Hit with Siege Breakers
Rovio created one of the first mobile gaming hit franchises with Angry Birds, so perhaps it is surprising that, aside from a promotional mini-game developed with Zappar, the company has yet to adapt the game to augmented reality via ARKit.
News: Apple Bets Another $390 Million on AR's Future, Funds Finisar to Increase iPhone X Component Production
In a move that will increase production capacity for its TrueDepth camera system, Apple has awarded vendor Finisar with $390 million from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund.
News: Weta Brings Its 'Lord of the Rings'-Style Character Effects to the World of Augmented Reality via ARCore
Most of the animated characters and animals we've seen in augmented reality are still fairly basic in terms of visual fidelity. And because many are still impressed by simply seeing 3D figures properly scaled and tracked alongside real-world objects, this approach has worked ... so far.
News: Mozilla Launches WebXR Viewer iOS App to Let Developers Experiment with ARKit
While Apple launched ARKit to enable developers to build augmented into mobile apps, Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox browser, is taking advantage of the platform to advocate for browser-based AR experiences.
News: Airbnb Thinks an Augmented Reality Feature Will Make Your Next Stay Less Awkward
Just as the modern travel experience has improved thanks to the internet, Airbnb wants to make your stay in a stranger's home easier by way of augmented and virtual reality.
News: Mercedes-Benz Gives the Auto Manual a Virtual Boost with Augmented Reality
The same approach to augmented reality that some companies use to improve workforce productivity could also make it easier for car owners to operate and maintain their vehicles.
News: Star Wars Unleashes Adorable AR Porgs via Snapchat
To promote Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Disney and Lucasfilm released virtual porgs into the wilds of Snapchat via a Sponsored Lens on Sunday.
Apple AR: Soccer Players Get to Test Their Skills via a Unique ARKit-Powered App
If you've been paying attention, you already know that ARKit can detect horizontal surfaces and estimate ambient light, but did you know that it can also help you improve your soccer game?
News: Now You Can Track the Bitcoin Mania Bubble in Augmented Reality
You love augmented reality (that's why you're here!), but some of you also love cryptocurrencies, most popularly known in one of its forms as Bitcoin. So you might be wondering why you can't you find two of your favorite emerging technologies together in one app. Take heart, early adopter — now you can.
Apple AR: Deck Your Halls with Boughs of AR via IKEA Place & Other Holiday-Themed Apps
They say if you don't believe, you don't receive. Therefore, I'll choose to believe that this holiday season, Santa's elves have learned how to code in Unity and leverage ARKit to deliver these jolly AR apps for helping children of all ages virtually decorate their homes.
Apple AR: Vogue App Shines an AR Spotlight on iPhone X Owners
When it comes to identifying what's fashionable on the runway, including cutting edge tech that bleeds into the mainstream of style, Vogue magazine stands at the top of the list.
Apple AR: This App Lets You Take Your Twitter Obsession into Augmented Reality
From media insiders to the halls of politics, news travels fast on Twitter, making it one of the most powerful social media channels for disseminating or collecting information. Now, for better or for worse, you can immerse yourself in the data firehose of Twitter in augmented reality.
News: Swarovski & Other Retailers Try Using Augmented Reality to Lure Holiday Shoppers to Stores
Nowadays, with the convenience of online shopping, brick-and-mortar retailers and malls have to work harder to draw shoppers to stores. This year, many of them are turning to augmented reality for assistance.
News: BMW Uses ARKit to Let You Customize Your New Car in iOS
Last month, BMW rolled out its playful take on augmented reality with Snapchat, and now the automaker is bringing that same immersive computing whimsy to iOS directly.
News: It's Raining Cats & Mudkips as Dynamic Weather Arrives for Pokémon GO
Now, when the weather outside is frightful, Pokémon GO players can expect it to be just as unpleasant in augmented reality.
News: Father.IO Uses Your Smartphone to Turn the World into a Giant Augmented Reality Laser Tag Arena
For those who thought the action in Pokémon Go was a bit too pedestrian, Father.io wants to recruit you for a multi-player, first-person shooter that unfolds on the streets of your own city.
News: Starbucks Brews Up Augmented Reality App to Enhance Roastery Experience
To create a destination for coffee connoisseurs, Starbucks has ordered up a venti cup of augmented reality to make the visit more interactive.
Apple AR: Fuse.it Brings Political Memes into the AR World
Lately, any subject in the realm of politics is a figurative powderkeg primed to explode on the nearest social media channel. Now, one app wants to use your iPhone and AR to strike a match.
News: Niantic Preparing Huge Update to Pokémon Go Predecessor Ingress
These days, location-based augmented reality gaming pioneer Niantic is best known as the developer behind Pokémon Go, but the uber-popular mobile game was not its first foray into the AR gaming genre.
News: Facebook's New Messenger Kids Aims to Lock in Young AR Users, Give Parents More Control
Next to millennials, one of the groups most coveted by brand marketers is "Generation Z," the consumers of tomorrow who were born between 1996 and 2010. On Monday, Facebook established a beachhead with that demographic in the realm of augmented reality by launching Facebook Messenger Kids.
News: Snapchat Channels Your Inner Coffee Junkie with Branded Bitmoji from McDonald's
With its new Sponsored Lens debuting on Snapchat on Friday, McDonald's is attempting to give potential customers a virtual pick-me-up.
News: Office Depot Updates Elf Yourself App with the Tiniest Bit of AR
Now that the holiday season has officially kicked off, Office Depot has updated its popular Elf Yourself app with a few new augmented reality options.
News: SyFy's New 'Happy!' AR App Gives You a Flying Unicorn Voiced by Patton Oswalt as an Imaginary Friend
If you've ever wanted to hang out with a flying unicorn that sounds like actor/comedian Patton Oswalt, get ready to get Happy!
Apple AR: LEGO AR-Studio Will Give Kids Free Virtual Sets to Play Alongside Real LEGOs
It appears that the new AR app from LEGO is inching closer to release.
Apple AR: Wipe Your Room Clean & Fill It with New Furniture in Pottery Barn's New AR App
With the advent of ARKit, apps that can place virtual furniture in a real room have become nearly a universal practice for furniture retailers, with Pottery Barn being the latest to join the fray.
News: Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel Revamps App's Content Strategy, Keeping Camera & AR at the Center
On Wednesday, Snap, Inc. unveiled a revamp of its Snapchat app that draws a hard line between content from your friends and content from professional media organizations.