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ARCore support is official for the OnePlus 11, Oppo Find N2 Flip, and others
A couple of flagships mixed in with midrangers and budget offerings
While augmented reality has been around for a while, Google was one of the technology's early proponents, as evidenced by the launch of Project Glass over a decade ago. The company sprung a surprise on us back at I/O last year by teasing brand-new AR glasses, leading us to believe that there was some meaning behind permanently shelving Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2 a couple of months ago.
ARCore support hits more phones from Redmagic to Sharp and beyond
Google adds a ton of new devices to the list
Augmented reality has come leaps and bounds over the past few years with Google taking the lead in terms of developing solutions for the masses. ARCore is an integral part of some of the best Android smartphones available today, enabling users to unlock the full potential of the AR capabilities built into their devices. March was a busy month for ARCore with several new devices formally supporting the software development platform, ranging from Google's own Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 series to the more recent Samsung Galaxy S23 lineup and a full fistful of Moto smartphones. Google is now looking to continue that momentum going into April by adding 14 new phones to the list.
Google adds a mountain of Motos to its ARCore support list
Plus phones from OnePlus, Xiaomi, and more
Motorola sure feels like it's got some new smartphones just itching to drop, with us anticipating upcoming models like the Edge 40 and Edge 40 Pro. But as we wait to get launch details on what's next for the brand, a whole mess of Moto phones from last year are popping up on Google's latest addition to its ARCore support list — along with a dozen or so friends.
Google gives its ARCore seal of approval to the Asus Zenfone 9 and 16 more phones
Most of the additions are budget phones
With smartphones being an integral part of our lives now, augmented reality seems like a natural evolution of our interactions with them. The term is often intertwined with virtual reality, but while they can co-exist, they're different things. Most use cases of AR have been silly features like camera filters, but some implementations are more useful, such as Live View on Google Maps. Of course, for you to take advantage of those features, your phone needs to support them. That's why Google is welcoming 17 more devices to the ARCore club, including the latest flagship phones from Asus.
Google's ARCore support list catches up with Samsung Galaxy S23 phones
Joining the club a whole lot faster than the Pixel 7 did
Sometimes when it rains, it pours, and that's pretty much exactly what's going on now, so long as you substitute "rain" with "Google gets around to updating its formal list of devices supporting the ARCore development platform." It wasn't even 24 hours ago that we saw Google deliver a pretty substantial refresh to that roster, adding in major 2022 phones like the Pixel 7 and Pixel 6a. Today it's already back with more, hitting a bunch of Samsung Galaxy handsets.
Google finally adds the Pixel 7, 7 Pro, and Pixel 6a to its ARCore support list
Plus phones from Motorola, Sony, Xiaomi, and more
Augmented Reality is one of those groan-worthy, overused tech buzzwords that actually turns out to be surprisingly cool and useful. Sure, it may feel a little silly when we're looking at something like Google's old Playground AR stickers, but this is also the same tech that powers stuff like real-time translations using our phone's camera. Every once in a while, Google updates its master list of hardware compatible with the ARCore platform used for building these projects, and today we get a ton of new additions, including all the latest Pixel phones.
Google certifies 15 Samsung devices for ARCore, but not the one you’d expect this week
Galaxy Unpacked sure woke Google up
It's easy to dismiss augmented reality as just another future-sounding buzzword, but you may unknowingly use Google’s AR capabilities quite a lot, whether with Lens for features like image translation, or finding your way around with Google Maps. To ensure AR capabilities extend flawlessly to third-party apps, Google certifies phones and tablets that have demonstrated compatibility with its ARCore software development kit (SDK). Google's now updating that list for the first time in months, adding 15 Samsung Galaxy devices to the ARCore roster.
Google adds new OnePlus, Motorola, and Xiaomi phones to the official ARCore certification list
More than three dozen new Android devices make the cut
Augmented reality has all kinds of applications in Android phones, including for e-commerce and gaming. ARCore is Google's development suite for AR apps, but devices have to be certified to run ARCore-built apps. Certification means the device passes muster in a number of different areas, like camera quality and motion sensor accuracy. Newer phones keep on being added to the ARCore support list regularly, and now, a new set of more than 30 Android phones have received this certification, including smartphones from the likes of Motorola, OnePlus, and Xiaomi.
Google's ARCore Geospatial API leverages the power of Street View to improve your AR experiences
It uses the same technology used by Live View in Google Maps
One of the use cases of ARCore Google talks about the most is map navigation, of all things. Live View in Google Maps lets you use your phone's camera to pan around a scene and overlay directions in the real world. It's a really cool feature that can greatly enhance your navigation experience, but don't you wish there were more real-world scene experiences like that one on your phone? That's precisely what Google wants to unlock for developers with the new ARCore Geospatial API, announced at Google I/O 2022.
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Google formally adds the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro to its ARCore support list
Along with devices from Motorola, OnePlus, and Xiaomi
Augmented reality might not seem as exciting as VR, but it's capable of plenty of handy applications. From basic measuring tools to imaginary art galleries, AR can be a ton of fun — and with Google's ARCore SDK, it's easy to use with most modern Android phones. All supported devices have to be certified before running any of these experiences, and another 26 have been added to the list just in time to close out the year.
As the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE nears, so do the leaks surrounding it. Google has now further hinted at the impending release of the Galaxy S21 Fan Edition by adding it to the list of devices that support Play Services for AR.
Google adds another 30 Android devices to its ARCore support list
Sony, Moto, and Xiaomi phones dominate a list with a couple surprises
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Google's ARCore SDK makes it easier to develop augmented reality apps but also ensures a consistent experience across devices. For this purpose, the company certifies devices through a specific process that confirms the camera, motion sensors, and CPU perform as expected. For instance, a certified ARCore phone has access to Google's 3D Animal library in Search and Playground, and has been tested to work properly with these services.
I used AR to give my uncle remote tech support, and it actually worked
Finally, you can help your family fix their tech long before coming home for the holidays
Sometimes, remote tech support involves more than just taking over your parents' computer using TeamViewer and co, like when the laptop just won't turn on or when the TV doesn't automatically default to the right HDMI input. That's where video calls and complicated instructions come in. "Hit this button. No, the other one. What do you mean it didn't turn on?" or "Plug in the cable. In the connector on the left, with the square plug. No, no, not this one!" are just a few conversations too many of us have probably had in their lives, these days more than ever.
Google's AR plans have changed over the years, from the standalone Project Tango to modern web-based efforts. But it's the AR-based Measure app that's the subject of today's eulogy. The app leveraged your camera on ARCore-supported devices to (as the name suggests) measure the dimensions of stuff, and now it's being retired. Google has suspended both support and updates for Measure.
Google could actually make augmented reality useful, for better or worse
Nightmare scenario: Google could make fixing your relatives' computer possible over the phone
Google can already consider ARCore a success, with the app hitting one billion installs on the Play Store in December 2020. The company has also shared that about 850 million devices with an ARCore certification are currently active, so it's no wonder Google is invested in improving the experience that gives us AR animals as well as TikTok and Duo filters. Following the I/O keynote, the company is launching ARCore 1.24, which introduces a so-called Raw Depth API and the Recording and Playback API.
Here are the latest phones to officially support Google's 3D animals
ARCore is augmenting reality since 2018
After accidentally teasing a few upcoming phones before removing them again earlier this year, Google has published a proper update to its ARCore support page, revealing that the augmented reality library is now supported by 24 more devices. This time around, all of them have already been announced.
Play with an AR Gundam mech on your smartphone
Watching PAC-MAN go in a circle is a little mesmerizing
Google loves to demonstrate its ability to create fun toys, particularly with the use of augmented reality. We've seen plenty of AR demonstrations in the past with animals and other common objects, and there have even been some trademark collaborations to play with, but now Google is diving into the world of anime with an assortment of iconic Japanese characters like PAC-MAN and Gundam.
Google wants to put your photos in a wild personal virtual reality gallery
Google's WebXR experiments look to enhance the world around you
Google is one of the few companies of its size willing to commit to trying out new ideas on a large scale. While these projects are often killed off without restraint, it's still fun to see what new software is released from its labs each year. In its latest experiment, Google is launching some new WebXR apps for Chrome, designed to combine AR and VR to add new context to the world around you. From scannable social distancing to a virtual gallery of your memories, these new "XR experiences" are pretty wild.
Google AR support docs tease a bunch of upcoming phones
23 devices were briefly added to the list, then removed
ARCore makes it easier for developers to design augmented reality reality apps on Android. To ensure a consistent experience across devices, the company certifies devices through a specific process that ensures the camera, motion sensors, and CPU perform as expected. For instance, a certified ARCore phone has access to Google's 3D Animal library in Search and Playground, and has been tested to work properly with these services.
Google's about to enhance AR performance by taking advantage of your phone's dual cameras
The Pixel 4 and 4 XL get the benefits first
Google's ARCore SDK allows phones to place virtual objects in mixed reality situations using their processors, motion sensors, light sensors, and, yes, their camera. However, even with the proliferation of quadruple rear camera phones, ARCore has only been able to use one of them. But soon enough, it'll work with two cameras on a couple of choice devices.