Apple's augmented reality toolkit, ARKit 2, already has a number of key upgrades that vastly improves how iOS handles augmented reality, which alongside iOS 12 the company believes the big deal is actually getting them on millions of devices.

The iPhone X's front-facing TrueDepth camera uses ARKit 2 to track eye movement, and Apple's other iPhones arriving later this year will also feature same AR capabilities, and most probably the next iPad Pro.

ARKit 2 is not just used to see objects, but also to pin information to them, such as purchase information, or player stats hovering over athletes at a future sporting events. Also, iOS 12 is able to handle in-browser AR experience, through a new common format developed with Pixar, called USDZ, that will ultimately help Apple to turn 3D files into AR-ready objects.

The USDZ format currently support only iOS devices, but it can potentially become a universal format that if incorporated into ARKit 2 can make the virtual experience better, for instance, using 3D AR creations to reflect real-life objects.

Another interesting area is the shared AR worlds, which is relatively a new stuff: Google demoed the first multiplayer AR apps at its developer conference, and Apple's multiplayer support in ARKit 2 will also be able to enact the same.

The shared worlds will open up collaborative projects that could enable people to visit and interact with each other. Just imagine possibilities like the next wave of holograms in classrooms, and experimental art projects, such as Google's group AR doodle app that's live already.

Albeit, there's still a pretty long way to go, and the future of augmented reality is very much in a state of flux.

How Apple intends to improve Augmented Reality (AR) Experience



Apple's augmented reality toolkit, ARKit 2, already has a number of key upgrades that vastly improves how iOS handles augmented reality, which alongside iOS 12 the company believes the big deal is actually getting them on millions of devices.

The iPhone X's front-facing TrueDepth camera uses ARKit 2 to track eye movement, and Apple's other iPhones arriving later this year will also feature same AR capabilities, and most probably the next iPad Pro.

ARKit 2 is not just used to see objects, but also to pin information to them, such as purchase information, or player stats hovering over athletes at a future sporting events. Also, iOS 12 is able to handle in-browser AR experience, through a new common format developed with Pixar, called USDZ, that will ultimately help Apple to turn 3D files into AR-ready objects.

The USDZ format currently support only iOS devices, but it can potentially become a universal format that if incorporated into ARKit 2 can make the virtual experience better, for instance, using 3D AR creations to reflect real-life objects.

Another interesting area is the shared AR worlds, which is relatively a new stuff: Google demoed the first multiplayer AR apps at its developer conference, and Apple's multiplayer support in ARKit 2 will also be able to enact the same.

The shared worlds will open up collaborative projects that could enable people to visit and interact with each other. Just imagine possibilities like the next wave of holograms in classrooms, and experimental art projects, such as Google's group AR doodle app that's live already.

Albeit, there's still a pretty long way to go, and the future of augmented reality is very much in a state of flux.

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