Sometimes a name can provide clarity about a product and sometimes it can create even more confusion. Or sometimes, it can be a bit of both. Google has decided to rename the ARCore Play Store listing into Google Play Service for AR. But they will still keep the ARCore branding as the official name for the Google Augmented Reality platform for Android Developers. It can be a bit much but the important thing to remember for us consumers is its new name on the Google Play Store.
It actually makes sense that it is now called Google Play Service for AR because as Android Police pointed out, it’s not an actual usable app per se since they are just powering the AR experience of apps with SDKs and giving them “mundane functionality” like push notifications. The name change has actually been there for a while now but it was only officially introduced in the changelog in an update rolled out recently.
The changelog also now supports 60fps rendering for devices that can support this like the Pixel 2 and Pixel 3 series. This means you’ll be able to get smoother looking previews as well as an improved look for augmented reality videos that you play on the smartphone. There are also new devices that have now received support for the AR service, including the recently released Galaxy Note 10 and Galaxy Note 10+. Other new devices with AR support include LG G8S, Style 2, and Stylo 5, Realme X, Samsung A7 (2018), and the Xiaomi Mi A3.
The formerly named ARCore, now Google Play Service for AR will automatically be installed for supported devices so you don’t need to download or install anything. But if you’re too impatient to wait for it, you can always download the APK Mirror from the source link.
Now as to what this name change will mean, we still have no idea since nothing was indicated in the changelog. And since not a lot of devices have ARCore for now, there’s still no “demand” for a better software anyway.
