Apple’s ARKit is Preparing to Blow Your Mind!

While Facebook was first to announce their entry into the world of AR, Apple is the one that seems to be making all the noise since announcing their ARKit platform. Last month, Apple essentially told the world they would be turning all their iPhones and iPads into 1^stGen AR devices. This is pretty big news! Come Fall 2017, augmented reality will hit over 100 million Apple devices capable of running iOS11 and ARKit.

Based on the recent collection of ARKit examples being shared online, it appears the developers are already salivating over the endless possibilities of this augmented reality technology. Let’s looks at some of the coolest examples.

Volumetic capture combined with ARKit can make for some true mobile AR magic. It will open a new door for the film, art, music and sports industries. These Back to the Future-style holograms can also be used to help your brand connect with audiences and tell its story in new, entertaining ways.

Of course, developers will obviously take advantage of the low hanging fruit…GAMING! Expect to see ARKit being leveraged by most of the mobile gaming companies out there, especially with new Apple hardware (iPhone 8) being released this Fall. ARKit is a natural fit in this space.

But AR tech will most certainly extend beyond gaming. It could change the way we order our food in restaurants. Combined with your smartphone and an online ordering experience like Kroger’s ClickList, it could create an entirely new way to shop for your groceries.

Heck, it will change most online shopping. Digi-Capital is forecasting AR revenue to hit $120 billion by 2020. With companies, like Nike, starting to turn towards new channels to help sell their products, you can bet that these new ARKit capabilities have marketers and advertisers finally starting to sit up and take notice.

What about other enhancements AR tech could bring? Using ARKit to create new interactive AR elements for your trade show presence could become a common practice. Perhaps AR powered guided tours? We could use it for ordinary purposes, like replacing the traditional tape measure. We can also just have some fun with the extraordinary, like landing a Space X Falcon 9 in your backyard!

Apple’s ARKit was announced just last month, but we are already seeing some amazing applications being created by the developers out there. Be sure to follow @madewithARKit, @ARKitNews and @AppleARWorld on Twitter for more amazing examples of what is to come in the world of ARKit.

Keep in mind that this is all just phase 1. Both Facebook and Apple know that AR on smartphones is the gateway to full-fledged mixed reality wearables aka AR glasses.  Our Yalo tribe is excited to see where these technologies lead us.

We’re also excited to now offer Virtual Events to our clients. When you can’t be there physically, virtual trade shows, Q&As, demonstrations and virtual product reveals are the next best thing to being there. Let us tell you more about how we can work with your team for the perfect digital experience. Feel free to contact Scott Efferson directly, here: Scott.Efferson@digitalyalo.com.