Do I need an app for augmented reality applications on my smartphone?
For a stable, high-performance experience, you still need these at the moment. However, this will change in the future. As the latest generation of smartphones is already capable of augmented reality, Google is not letting the opportunity pass and is working on a web app prototype that can place 3D objects in the real world via the browser. Their tech demo called “Article” is already available to the public at https://google-ar.github.io/WebAR-Article/public/zugänglich.Article can of course also be accessed on the desktop, but it’s only really fun on mobile.
For inquisitive minds, however, the whole thing still has a small damper: the standard browser for iOS and Android is not yet ready – an experimental AR browser from Google is needed. This browser is called “WebARonARCore” for Android or “WebARonARKit” for iOS, which must first be downloaded from Github and, in the case of iOS, must first go through the build process. Once the browser has been installed, users can use the AR button to freely place and view 3D models in their real world.
The concept behind the prototype, as well as that of the experimental browser, is not only interesting for developers but also for our partners and customers: for example, a web store can place its products in the user’s living room without having to rely on an extra app.
Further information and a look under the hood can be found on the Google AR and VR blog.
