Google announced the launch of the augmented reality SDK (Software Development Kit) of ARCore 1.0 for developers. After keeping it under preview phase for months, the company released it with availability on over 100 million Android devices. Using v1.0 of ARCore, developers can publish their AR-based apps on Play Store. These apps can understand your environment and place objects and information in it.
The search giant also released the updates for Google Lens. It will soon be available for all Google Photos English-language users on both Android and iOS.
To use the AR functionality right now, you need either of these phones— Pixel 2/XL, Pixel/XL, Samsung Galaxy S8/S8 Plus, Note 8, Galaxy S7/S7 Edge, LG V30/V30+, Asus Zenfone AR or the OnePlus 5. But Google in its blog post said that they are partnering with many manufacturers to enable their upcoming devices this year, including Samsung, Huawei, LGE, Motorola, ASUS, Xiaomi, HMD/Nokia, ZTE, Sony Mobile, and Vivo.
So we can expect the ARCore support in upcoming phones from these companies at the MWC itself.
Post Google’s announcement on Friday, Xiaomi on its forum confirmed that their smartphones will be supporting ARCore to deliver augmented reality experience to users in playing games, visualising room interiors and other areas.