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Google launches its augmented reality SDK ARCore on Android

Available now on 13 different devices

Google launches its augmented reality SDK ARCore on Android

Google has launched its competitor to Apple's augmented reality framework ARKit called ARCore for Android devices.

At launch, ARCore will work on Google’s Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, Samsung's Galaxy S8, S8+, Note8, S7 and S7 edge, LGE’s V30 and V30+, ASUS’s Zenfone AR and OnePlus’s OnePlus 5. Google is also partnering with other Android phone manufacturers to ensure future devices are compatible.

The technology will also be pushed to China through partnerships with Huawei, Xiaomi and Samsung. Games will also see ARCore added, including upcoming title Ghostbusters World.

It's like it's really there!

ARCore's 1.0 release has also seen improvements for developers, including improved environmental understanding for better placement of objects in the world. ARCore is also supported by Android Studio's Emulator tool, allowing developers to test their creations in a virtual environment.

As well as launching ARCore, Google has also made improvements to its Google Lens technology which is currently in preview. This includes adding additional information to photos, being able to highlight text seen through the camera and creating new contacts from a photo.

ARCore was first announced back in August 2017, two months after the reveal of Apple's ARKit. It is already supported by Unity, Unreal Engine and Android Studio.

It was also nominated in the Best Technological Innovation category at our inaugural Mobile Games Awards, but lost to Apple's already-launched ARKit.


Editor

Ric is the Editor of PocketGamer.biz, having started out as a Staff Writer on the site back in 2015. He received an honourable mention in both the MCV and Develop 30 Under 30 lists in 2016 and refuses to let anyone forget about it.