ARCore is a software development kit (SDK) launched by Google to allow developers to create mixed reality apps. It’s similar to Project Tango but that one is already dead. Before 2017 ended, Google pulled the plug on Project Tango and started pushing for ARCore. It’s augmented reality for Android devices which was introduced to the mobile industry August last year as a usable AR platform. It’s now being integrated into a number of new apps such as Google Street View and Maps.
We only know a few ARCore apps. Thereis the Atom Visualizer as the first ARCore app on Google Play. Street View and Maps were integrated with ARCore right away. Since Augmented Reality was given focus by Google and ARCore 1.0 for developers was launched at the MWC 2018, more AR-related good news have been reported including Just A Line becoming an app from just being a simple and regular Google AR Experiment, ARCore coming to the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ phones, and Xiaomi Mi Mix 2S arriving with ARCore tech. More phones like the Huawei P20, Moto Z2 Force, and the Nexus 6P are also getting ARCore support.
Measure and Files Go
ARCore is more than just augmented reality hype. It is here to stay as long as people want and need them. And more good news: more apps are getting ARCore support. Two major apps are getting updates: Measure and Files Go by Google. The apps are now compatible with ARCore phones so you can use their full features to their fullest potential. Previously, these mobile apps are only available on Project Tango phones like the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro.
The Measure app now works on all smartphones supported by ARCore tech. If you’ve previously used Measure, you will notice the new user interface (UI) with enhanced visualization and controls. As for Files Go, you can see the new Share tab for easier and faster file-sharing even when offline. There’s also a new Clean tab that allows you to clean up videos while File extraction is finally supported so you can free up space on your device more efficiently.
Chrome on Android
ARCore support has arrived on Chrome OS. That was a few months ago and now, the Chrome development team is rolling out an update specifically for the Chrome browser. Web accessibility is being improved regularly. It’s important that in emerging markets with usually slow or limited Internet connectivity, Chrome offers more convenience by downloading relevant articles automatically. This way, you can view or read text even when you lose connection. This enables you to keep browsing the wonders of the web even when your phone is offline. Download the updated Chrome on Android from the Google Play Store.
SOURCE: Google India Blog
