Smartphones News
News: Magic Leap's Latest Lumin OS & SDK Releases Focus on Features for Enterprise Customers
A year and change into its shift towards enterprise customers, Magic Leap has updated Lumin OS and the corresponding Lumin SDK with some key prerequisites for the business sector.
News: You Can Land & Drive NASA's Perseverance Mars Rover in AR with the Smithsonian Channel's New App
Two years ago, the 50th anniversary of the moon landing gave flight to a handful of Apollo 11 augmented reality apps and experiences, including one from the Smithsonian Channel.
News: Epson & Spinar Bundle Smartglasses & Remote AR Assistance via Zoom for Enterprise Customers
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses into remote work models, whether they were ready or not, making Zoom a household (or home office) name for its video conferencing service.
News: Lego Takes on TikTok with Vidiyo Music Video Playsets & AR App
Toymaker Lego has been on board with building AR into its playsets and mobile apps since the launch of ARKit.
Market Reality: Apple Launches AR App, Brands Blitz Super Bowl with AR Ads & AR Content Arrives for Zoom via Arvizio
After weeks of reports about their first augmented reality device, Apple actually shipped a real AR product this week in the form of a TV tie-in AR app.
News: Google Launches TensorFlow 3D Using LiDAR & Depth Sensors for Advanced AR Experiences
After the mobile augmented reality platforms of ARKit and ARCore moved Google's previously groundbreaking Project Tango (the AR platform that gave us the first smartphones with depth sensors) into obsolescence in 2018, we've seen a bit of a resurgence of what was then a niche component for flagship devices.
News: Apple Harnesses the Power of the iPhone 12 Pro LiDAR Scanner for Its New 'For All Mankind' AR App
The realm of science fiction isn't all lasers and cute green toddlers, sometimes alternate science history is sci-fi, too, as exampled by the Apple TV Plus series For All Mankind.
News: 8th Wall Revs Up Realism for Web AR Experiences with Real-Time Reflective Surfaces
Since launching its web-based AR platform in 2018, 8th Wall has continued to push the boundaries of what brands can do with AR experiences outside of native apps.
AR Snapshots: Celebrate Black History Month & Get Ready for Valentine's Day with These Snapchat Lenses
February is the shortest month, but it's marked by the celebration of Black history and the celebration of romantic love.
News: Apple Has Secured Micro OLED Supply Partner for Future AR Devices, Says Report
Like the layers of an onion, 2021 continues to peel back new hints of Apple's kinda-secretive augmented reality device development.
News: Snapchat Can Turn Your 12-Pack of Labatt Blue Beer into a Virtual NHL Arena
Bud Light being the official beer sponsor of the NFL just makes sense for American football. But what about the NHL, with hockey being the official winter sport of Canada by decree?
News: Rockers Palaye Royale Conjure Creepy Immersive AR Music Video via Jadu App
Up and coming Los Angeles-based rock group Palaye Royale has managed to grow a substantial social media following, and now the group is looking to grow its fan base through the power of augmented reality.
News: Footage of Mario Kart AR Ride at Super Nintendo World Hits the Web
Even the biggest fan of Mario Kart may have reservations about traveling to Super Nintendo World in Japan in the middle of a worldwide pandemic to experience the augmented reality-enhanced roller coaster ride that recreates the game in real life.
News: Arvizio Brings AR Collaboration to Zoom Meetings with Immerse 3D App for Smartphones, HoloLens & Magic Leap
As businesses flocked to Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and other video conferencing platforms to bridge the gap, we wondered aloud -- why aren't more companies leaning even more heavily on augmented reality?
News: Verizon, Pepsi & Cheetos Run AR Plays for Their Super Bowl LV Advertising Efforts
The Super Bowl isn't just the most important NFL game of the year, it's also the biggest night for brands to bring their most creative advertisements to a vast television audience.
Market Reality: Microsoft Intros HoloLens 2 Variant, Canon Sets High Price for AR Headset & Apple AR Rumors Re-Emerge
If there is one constant in currently available AR headsets, it's that, for a quality experience, they'll carry a high price tag. Price is one of the reasons these devices are mostly marketed towards enterprise customers for now.
News: Apple AR/VR Headset Will Sport 8K Displays & LiDAR with Q1 2022 Arrival Timeframe, Report Says
Rumors around Apple's not-so-secret development of an AR/VR headset have been prevalent throughout the young year, but the latest round of reports move speculation of the device into a clearer view.
News: Corona Taps Blippar to Promote Its Hard Seltzer Line with AR Games & Recipes
Despite the unfortunate social media-driven association of Corona beer with the virus behind a global pandemic, beverage maker Constellation Brands has pushed its marketing forward like a lime through the mouth of a beer bottle.
News: Microsoft Debuts HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition for Pharmaceutical & Semiconductor Enterprise Users
Ever since the US Army awarded Microsoft's HoloLens a $480 million contract, the battle for enterprise augmented reality has heated up in earnest.
Market Reality: Magic Leap Founder Launches New Company, Snap Acquires AI Tech, & Facebook Offers Spark AR Classes
Just as the augmented reality industry grows, so too does the segment dedicated to creating experiences for the tools becoming available.
News: Volvo Teams with Unity to Let You Test Out the XC40 SUV in AR, Launches Developer Innovation Portal
To assist developers and researchers in their efforts to create apps and services for automobiles, Volvo Cars has launched a new Innovation Portal with useful new tools and assets.
News: Canon's MREAL S1 Eye-Popping Price Tag Makes HoloLens 2 Look Like a Bargain, Here's the Japanese Device in Action
You only 'thought' the HoloLens 2 was the most expensive augmented reality device on the market. As with many things tech, Japan is here to up the ante with what may indeed be the most expensive AR-dedicated wearable we've seen—the Canon MREAL S1.
News: Ultraleap Improves Tracking of Two-Handed Interactions with Gemini Software Update
Hand tracking is a key component in making natural interactions with augmented reality content, and one of the leading technology makers in this discipline has just improved on its tracking engine.
News: Magic Leap Founder Launches the Company He 'Really' Wanted to Start, a Film & Music Studio with Virtual Artists
The company augmented reality that Rony Abovitz was trying to build at Magic Leap apparently wasn't working out the way he hoped it would. That company, built on dreams, music, and future-looking entertainment, rather than truly new technology, came with a $2,300 price tag for a device using dynamics most mainstream consumers have never even tried.
News: Facebook Opens Enrollment for Spark AR Curriculum to Grow AR Creation Community
As Apple, Google, Snap, and Facebook wrestle for positioning to lure developers and creators to build augmented reality experiences for their respective tools, Facebook is looking at a learning approach for its Spark AR platform.
News: Snap Boosts Augmented Reality Body-Tracking Arsenal with Acquisition of Ariel AI
The year 2021 is already promising to yield a number of major shifts in the augmented reality landscape, and Snap is signaling that it has every intention of being an aggressive part of that narrative.
AR Snapshots: Horsing Around, Rocking Out Like KISS, Dancing with Virtual Being & More with Snapchat AR
Snapchat's face tracking has certainly come a long way. This week, we've got an example of one effect that is nearly guaranteed to freak out your friends.
Market Reality: Magic Leap Virtual Meetings App, More Apple AR Headset Rumors, & Lenovo Unveils Enterprise Smartglasses
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. At Magic Leap, the lemons are the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lemonade is a new solution for virtual meetings born out of social distancing.
News: China's AR Showdown: How Rokid's New Vision Compares to Nreal
Ever since China's Nreal unveiled its Light smartglasses at CES two years ago, an army of look-alikes have emerged from the Asian nation.
News: Apple Reportedly Moving Forward with VR/AR Hybrid Headset with Potential 2022 Launch
The latest whispers about Apple's plans to launch its long-awaited (yet still unconfirmed) augmented reality device hits several familiar notes, but lands on a different refrain.
News: Bernie Sanders Presidential Inauguration Freezing Moment Spawns Meme-Worthy Snapchat Lens
The world of politics can sometimes get a little toxic, but with the new administration, there's already a bit of whimsy creeping back into the online meme space.
News: Snapchat Presidential Inauguration Lens Lets You Be in the Crowd at Joe Biden's Historic Event
The United States is poised to begin a new political era this week, but due to recent events in Washington, D.C., as well as the ongoing pandemic, the traditional inauguration crowds are absent.
News: New Wallace & Gromit Game Amps Up Job Simulations with AR Interactivity
While most established media brands are satisfied with copying Pokémon GO to jump into augmented reality gaming, at least one property is taking a slightly different approach.
AR Snapshots: Anime Makeovers, Mandalorian Helmets, Twerking Muppets & More on Snapchat
In the three years since Snapchat launched Lens Studio, developers and artists have created more than 1.5 million AR camera effects with the desktop tool.
News: Samsung Beats Apple to the Punch with SmartTags+ & AR Finder
Over the past two product cycles, Apple has been rumored to be preparing to reveal its Apple AirTags tracking devices that can help iPhone owners find their possessions with augmented reality.
News: Apple AR Smartglasses Concept Shows the Virtual Desktop of the Future
The focus on augmented reality over at Apple is, so far, restricted to the iPhone and the iPad. But if some of the most reliable analysts in the business are to be believed, we'll probably see some kind of AR or VR wearable from the company later this year.
News: Unity Releases Open Beta Project MARS Companion App for Capturing Scene Data & Creating Content
Unity often reminds us that the majority of AR apps and experiences are built with the Unity 3D engine, and now the Unity MARS service, which facilitates easy AR creation for seasoned coders and newcomers.
News: Nickelodeon Injects Broadcast AR Fun into Saints vs. Bears NFL Playoff Game
I must admit, upon learning that the NFL was broadcasting the contest between the New Orleans Saints and Chicago Bears on CBS, Amazon Prime Video, and Nickelodeon, the latter was the only option I wanted, purely for the novelty of the experience.
News: Lenovo Debuts Sleek ThinkReality A3 Smartglasses for Industrial & Office Use
Roughly a year and a half after unveiling the HoloLens-like ThinkReality A6, Lenovo is back with its take on enterprise-grade smartglasses, and the results look impressive. Then again, looks can be deceiving.
News: Magic Leap CEO Teases Secret New AR Virtual Meetings App Called 'C3' Being Used Internally
The past year has revealed a gaping hole of opportunity in the world of business called virtual meetings. Some existing players like Zoom hopped on that opportunity, while others like Skype seemed stuck on the sidelines, and Google Meet just managed to catch up in time to snag some of the shift in remote work.