Watch All of the ARKit Demos We Can Find in one Place

ARKit, Apple’s answer to augmented reality (AR) on iOS, has become tremendously popular already. Folks have posted quite a few ARKit demos on YouTube since Apple’s announcement of of the software development kit at WWDC 2017. We’ve covered many of these demonstrations in previous articles. This morning, though, I needed a YouTube playlist of them for an article at AppAdvice about IDC’s report that Augmented and Virtual Reality are going to see some serious increase in revenues. Not finding one, I decided to create my own. Since I love all of you, I decided to share that YouTube playlist with you. Without further ado, here it is. We will add to it as more ARKit demonstrations come on our radar.

An Augmented Reality Tape Measure Is Way Cooler Than It Sounds

Introduced at WWDC 2017 as part of iOS 11, Apple’s ARKit will provide the tools for developers to tap into the increasingly popular and important world of augmented reality. And now that the iOS 11 betas are in developers’ hands, we’re getting some amazing first looks at what AR on the iPhone and iPad will soon deliver. One of the coolest is AR Measure, a tape measuring app that is way cooler than it sounds. Check out the video demo, below.

Apple is Converting Mac Pro From a Fad to a Monster Graphics Platform

In 2008, the venerable cheese grater Mac Pro was designed for Apple customers who needed high end performance and expandability. In 2013, Apple shifted gears and saw the Mac Pro as an iconic desktop system with great performance if one shared the company’s vision for both industrial design and OpenCL. Now, it appears that Apple sees the Mac Pro as a platform that will support its future initiatives. Can Apple hold to that pattern? That abiding faith in high end computation and visualization? A new trademark filing suggests Apple now sees the light.

Apple Injury Reports Hint at Augmented Reality Glasses

Thanks to a leaked health and safety report we have some clues into what projects Apple is working on, and it looks like augmented reality glasses may be on that list. Two employees suffered from eye injuries from lasers attached to some form of headgear, which sounds a lot like a wearable augmented reality device.

Pinterest Visual Search Gets A Tool Called Lens

Today Pinterest rolled out a new visual search tool called Lens. It’s a feature found within the app that uses machine learning to classify real-world objects. Lens suggests items in Pinterest that are related to the object. Pinterest co-founder Evan Sharp demonstrated Lens visual search to detect a pomegranate, and Pinterest showed him pins about pomegranate bread, sandwiches and helpful tips to peel the fruit. Along with Lens, the company introduced Shop the Look, a tool that identifies objects in pins that you can purchase, and gives you a direct link to buy. Right now it’s only available for five brands. Although currently in beta, Lens is sure to help usher in augmented reality.

Robert Scoble Says Apple is Working with Zeiss on 'Mixed Reality Optics'

Robert Scoble said Monday that Apple is working with lens powerhouse Carl Zeiss AG on “mixed reality optics.” That’s one of the many terms used for augmented reality, for those keeping score at home. His evidence is circumstantial, at best, but I approve of his reasoning. While at the the Zeiss booth at CES, he learned the company was, “NOT showing off its mixed reality optics.” He then added, “I said ‘Tim Cook didn’t let you,’ and the employees around me smiled nervously.” Again, that’s circumstantial, but Mr. Scoble’s instincts have a good track record. To add further circumstantial speculation, Zeiss is the sort of company Apple might work with on any kind of lens-related product or technology. And we already knew that Apple has at least a thousand people working on augmented reality. So…I buy it.

Apple augmented reality

Turn $1 Into an Augmented Reality Tour of the White House

Forget Pokémon. A really cool use for augmented reality on your iPhone is an animated 3D model of the White House, complete with an audio tour of its importance and history. The new app 1600, released this week by the White House Historical Association, uses AR to build a fully animated 3D model of the White House on a $1 bill while White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest narrates a miniature history lesson. Users can also tap on various parts of the model to reveal additional information and a few hidden secrets. Check it out now for free on the iOS and Android app stores.

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