The competition between iOS and Android is fierce. Each operating system offers unique and powerful features, so it can be hard to choose which one you want. However, for iPhone users, a little tweaking and some themes can give your iPhone some of the key features and aestheti ...more
Web-based mobile augmented reality technology continues to gain momentum as Google is set to expand the standard for immersive web content to AR. Chrome 81, which was released in beta on Thursday, brings support for augmented reality content via the WebXR Device API, the acce ...more
The augmented reality walking navigation mode for Google Maps appears to be closer to an upcoming release for the general public. Google recently granted the Wall Street Journal (paywall) a sneak peek at the navigation mode via a preview build, and the newspaper published its ...more
Although Apple's Animoji game is strong, as recently exampled by its Ariana Grande collaboration, Google isn't slacking either, unleashing a far more immersive music experience for smartphone users. Released on Friday, the new Childish Gambino augmented reality Playmoji chara ...more
There is not a single museum that houses all of the 36 paintings of Johannes Vermeer, so Google decided to come up with a solution to give art aficionados a venue to see the artist's work all in one place — your home. Through the Google Arts & Gallery app for iOS and Android ...more
With a new version of its ARCore in the wild and more than 30 devices now supporting it, Google is helping beginners get up to speed with augmented reality. Hosted on Coursera, the company has launched Introduction to Augmented Reality and ARCore, a free, four-week curriculum ...more
Back in November, Essential opened the Android Oreo Beta Program for all users of their PH-1 flagship. We even wrote up a full guide on how to install the beta, if you're interested. They followed the Oreo beta with a Reddit AMA, where they mentioned the second beta software w ...more
Augmented reality has given companies worldwide great powers for innovating business practices and engaging customers, but on Monday, Honda demonstrated that with great power, also comes great social responsibility. In this case, the carmaker, with a technology assist from Bl ...more
Nike has launched an augmented reality design tool at its Niketown store in London that lets shoppers customize sneakers and see their designs on a real product. At the NIKEiD Direct Studio, shoppers can choose color and material selections on an enclosed tablet and see their ...more
While Apple launched ARKit to enable developers to build augmented into mobile apps, Mozilla, the company behind the Firefox browser, is taking advantage of the platform to advocate for browser-based AR experiences. On Friday, the software maker made the WebXR Viewer app avai ...more
Earlier this year at WWDC, Apple made a big show of featuring augmented reality as a central part of iOS moving forward. But since then, other than comments from the company's CEO, Tim Cook, we haven't seen much direct promotion of augmented reality from the company. Until now ...more
The same approach to augmented reality that some companies use to improve workforce productivity could also make it easier for car owners to operate and maintain their vehicles. Mercedes-Benz is driving down that new path by releasing an augmented reality owner's manual calle ...more
Not all remakes of video game classics turn out well, but a new augmented reality take on Super Mario is likely to draw in fans of the Nintendo hit. Created by Vancouver-based Stuart Langfield, the AR gaming experiment isn't an official release, but after seeing what's possib ...more
If you've been paying attention, you already know that ARKit can detect horizontal surfaces and estimate ambient light, but did you know that it can also help you improve your soccer game? A new app called myKicks uses ARKit to help set up a unique soccer (or "football" if yo ...more
You love augmented reality (that's why you're here!), but some of you also love cryptocurrencies, most popularly known in one of its forms as Bitcoin. So you might be wondering why you can't you find two of your favorite emerging technologies together in one app. Take heart, e ...more
When it comes to identifying what's fashionable on the runway, including cutting edge tech that bleeds into the mainstream of style, Vogue magazine stands at the top of the list. So it's fitting that the fashion tastemaker has now updated its iOS app with an AR camera effect ...more
Usually paper beats rock. With augmented reality, The Rock beats paper. Using the Life VR app for iOS or Android, Entertainment Weekly readers can point their smartphones at the cover of the Dec. 8 edition to view a holiday greeting from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, star of the ...more
Last month, BMW rolled out its playful take on augmented reality with Snapchat, and now the automaker is bringing that same immersive computing whimsy to iOS directly. Using Apple's ARKit, the BMW i Visualizer app allows you to select and customize a life-sized version of the ...more
Now, when the weather outside is frightful, Pokémon GO players can expect it to be just as unpleasant in augmented reality. A new update to the popular location-based AR game brings a dynamic weather system to the game. In the new update, weather effects on the game's map wil ...more
To create a destination for coffee connoisseurs, Starbucks has ordered up a venti cup of augmented reality to make the visit more interactive. The company's new Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, the second such location of its kind in the world, will be the first Starbucks locati ...more
Lately, any subject in the realm of politics is a figurative powderkeg primed to explode on the nearest social media channel. Now, one app wants to use your iPhone and AR to strike a match. Released on Tuesday on the App Store, fuse.it gives users the ability place augmented ...more
Apple is no stranger to lawsuits. They were in a decade-long battle with Samsung that finally came to an end last month, and they've been duking it out in the courtroom with Qualcomm since last year. The more recent case has seen both companies file suits and counter-suits, bu ...more
Just weeks after previewing its smartglasses in a pair of videos, augmented reality hardware maker Vuzix announced on Friday that pre-orders are open for Vuzix Blade developer kits. The hardware and software developer's kit costs $1,997 plus shipping and taxes, with a $495 re ...more
Earlier this week, we told you about the new Star Wars augmented reality collaboration with Nissan that will bring the famed science-fiction franchise to auto showrooms, and now we can show you what it looks like. The AR experience, called "See the Unseen," which is only avai ...more
The past year brought about a number of trends in the smartphone space. More immersive displays, better processors, and portrait mode for cameras come to mind as big steps forward. One of the most polarizing trends that continued in 2017 is the removal of the 3.5 mm headphone ...more
Samsung just announced that the Galaxy S8 is getting a fresh coat of paint, launching a burgundy red color of the flagship in their home market of Korea. There is currently little information about whether this color will come to the US for the S8, but this could be a preview ...more
Do you know when you're going to die? Your iPhone or iPad does. That's the premise behind Death Mask, an experimental app developed by Or Fleisher and Anastasis Germanidis. The experiment is influenced by death masks, sculptures cast from people's faces that, in some culture ...more
The Essential Phone didn't have a hot start when it was released back in August. A delayed release, poor camera performance, and high price tag led many to avoid the otherwise well-received device. But after a few software updates and price drops, it's now a steal of a deal. ...more
Two characters from the popular sci-fi animated comedy Rick and Morty have already made their way into augmented reality courtesy of ARKit experiments. Now, it's possible to become one of them on the iPhone X. Developer Michael Bramiage has created an Animoji-style version of ...more
An AR/VR developer has managed to use the iPhone X to transport players into an emulation of the classic '90s video game Star Fox as the game's antagonist. The demo comes courtesy of developer Rigel Benton, who concocted the revision of the Super Nintendo classic as part of V ...more
If you own a Porsche, there's a good chance you're interested in two things: speed and quality. Porsche Cars North America wants to extend that experience from the driver's seat to the service center. Next year, the sports car importer will deploy Atheer AiR Enterprise AR sof ...more
There are a lot of holiday tech deals starting to trickle out as Black Friday approaches. We've already rounded up some of the best deals for Android, iPhones, and headphones, but Google just dropped a big announcement for users of their Project Fi MVNO service. Now through De ...more
If you or someone you know has younger kids and you're looking for an augmented reality toy, Pai Technology has just the educational option for you. For $199, the toy maker offers Augie, a spherical robot that uses augmented reality to teach children the basics of programming ...more
Google launched the Pixel 2 XL with a unique pinch-to-zoom feature in the YouTube app. The feature is pretty basic, allowing users to expand the video to full-screen on devices with 18:9 aspect ratios with a simple pinch gesture. Considering its simplicity, it was strange that ...more
As it turns out, Apple did get AR hardware into its retail stores for the 2017 holiday shopping season, but it's not the headset we've been hearing rumors about for years; it's the MekaMon battle-bot. Apple will be the exclusive retailer for the AR robot, which can be purchas ...more
Thanks to ARKit, homeowners and apartment dwellers can visualize just about every aspect of their abodes, from furniture and decor with the IKEA Place, Houzz, and Amazon apps to new countertops with Cambria's app and retractable awnings via Markilux. Now, that list of availab ...more
Razer took to the stage this month to unveil their new flagship phone, fittingly called the Razer Phone. The device is targeted at gamers, but has a list of specs that make it an intriguing daily driver for any user. Its headlining feature is an 120 Hz IGZO display, the first ...more
Now that it has buried the legal hatchet with Meta Company, augmented reality startup Dreamworld has announced plans to open up pre-orders for its Dream Glass AR headset. Based on filings with the US District Court of Northern California on Nov. 3, Meta reached a settlement i ...more
Samsung just began rolling out the Oreo Beta 2 to registered users of the Galaxy S8 and S8+. The update's changelog promises the inclusion of the October 2017 security patch. Unfortunately, after downloading the update, we've noticed this is not the case. Omission of the more ...more
It was a long overdue announcement when wireless charging was revealed as a feature in Apple's 2017 iPhone lineup. While certainly a welcome addition, wireless charging would only work with up to 5 watts of power, which meant no fast-charge capabilities. That's not the case an ...more
Apple released iOS 11.2 beta 3 on Monday to developers, with only a handful of changes over Beta 2. Still, it's always recommended you upgrade to the newest version of iOS, so if you are running any of the previous 11.2 betas, make sure to update. Beta 3's most significant ch ...more
There may be many third-party file managers for Android to choose from, but until now, Google offered no proprietary option. Enter 'Files Go,' which, while initially anticipated for December, is now available for you to try. After the beta version of Google's files manager le ...more
Now that we've had significant time with Samsung's Oreo Beta for the Galaxy S8, many interesting features have come to light. As we continue using the new software, we have uncovered more subtle changes. The home screen already received a few new customization features, it's o ...more
Just as we started running through the features packed into the Android Oreo beta for the Galaxy S8, Samsung has started pushing out the second beta to eligible devices. According to DroidVendor, the update is rolling out as build G955USQU1ZQK1 for the Galaxy S8 Plus. The roll ...more
While Snap's third quarter financial reports disappointed Wall Street, China's Tencent took the opportunity to expand its investment in the social media company. In filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Snap disclosed that it was notified this month by Te ...more
Online glasses retailer Warby Parker built its reputation by selling fashionable yet affordable eyeglasses, so it perhaps a surprise that it's one of the first developers to take advantage of the technology in the least affordable iPhone yet. While other developers are making ...more
First showcased back in June at WWDC, Apple Pay Cash is Apple's answer to Venmo. Although iOS 11 has been out in the wild since September, this new iMessage feature has been mysteriously absent. That's finally changed with the second beta of iOS 11.2 — Apple Pay Cash is here. ...more
With smartglasses designed for navigating drones and an AR drone racing game to its credit, Epson has just added another credit to its pioneering efforts in the AR-meets-drones space with the launch of a drone simulator app. Developed by Y Media Labs with input from DJI and E ...more
Apple released the second version of its iOS 11.2 developer beta Monday, exactly one week from beta 1, then opened up the public beta version on Tuesday. While beta 2 has been available on iPhone X since Friday, Nov. 3, all compatible iPhones can now update to this version. T ...more
Apple shipped their first batch of iPhone X's with an outdated and unpatched version of iOS. Be sure to check for updates and install iOS 11.1 first thing after you open your new iPhone or it'll be susceptible to the KRACK vulnerability for wireless connectivity. KRACK, or Ke ...more
People love emojis, it's a scientific fact. So an app that places poops, smileys, and ghosts into social media videos should, in theory, be the most popular app ever. That's likely the reasoning behind the new Holocam app, which is available for $0.99 in the iOS App Store. Sur ...more
Tech companies are embroiled in controversy this week. No, not the hearings on Russian interference in last year's election; in this case, it's all about the burger emoji. Now, Snapchat has joined the fray and further muddied the waters regarding proper burger construction wi ...more
After multiple leaked references in Samsung apps, the Oreo Beta Program for the Galaxy S8 and S8+ is official. Yesterday, we posted a full changelog from users that obtained the beta a day early. The update brings many new features from Oreo to the S8, including notification c ...more
For those worried that a lustful gaze at a new app on their iPhone X will authorize its purchase, we have great news for you. With Face ID, the new security standard for the iPhone X, many potential customers are wondering exactly how it will pick up where Touch ID left off. ...more
Apple rarely changes the ringtones on its iPhones. In fact, the last addition was all the way back in iOS 7. However, it appears they wanted to do something special with the 10th-anniversary edition iPhone, so Apple included a unique ringtone called "Reflection" on the iPhone ...more
The iPhone X's "notch" is now possibly as notorious as Apple's decision to cut ties with the headphone jack. With that said, a cautious consensus can be made from first impressions of the X that the notch isn't all that bad. Still, one problem has shown up in reviews again and ...more
The preorder period for the wildly anticipated iPhone X began on Oct. 27, and ever since, it seemed like the wait was going to be long for those who didn't preorder in the first ten minutes. Some reports have claimed users might not see their iPhone X until December. However, ...more
The fifth developer beta for iOS 11.1 was released on Oct. 24, and the official iOS 11.1 update was pushed out to iPhones everywhere on Oct. 31. However, that isn't stopping Apple from seeding developers with the iOS 11.2 beta already. The first beta of version 11.2 features ...more
Google just released the second developer preview of the Android 8.1 update for Nexus and Pixel devices, and even though it's just a point-one release, there are lots of cool changes. Before you run off to join the Android beta program and try the new version, it's worth readi ...more
Honeywell recently completed successful testing of virtual window technology that enabled drivers to maneuver an otherwise windowless combat vehicle on rough terrain at speeds exceeding 35 miles per hour. The testing was conducted under contract with the Defense Advanced Rese ...more