And if you want something not being pushed by an actual store, try Housecraft (free). Others are getting in on the action, too – Amazon (free) has introduced AR, to show how that new coffee maker would look in your kitchen. With IKEA Place, you drop virtual objects directly into your room, which land on the floor with a satisfying thunk. With a paper tome, you imagine how a chair will look in your home. Yes, we’re recommending what’s effectively a catalog for a multinational chain, but that’s because IKEA Place hints at shopping’s future. All previous measurements remain in the virtual space until it’s cleared, enabling you to map out multiple items, before taking a few snaps for subsequent reference. Pay the one-off IAP and you unlock additional tools, including angles, a hollow cube with user-definable dimensions, and levels. Measurements should be taken with a pinch of salt – during testing, they were often a centimeter or so out – but are fine for rough estimates. Once your iPhone’s calibrated for AR, you simply tap start and end points. The basic ruler tool comes free, and is a cinch to use. AR MeasureKitĪR MeasureKit was the best ARKit measuring tape we tried. Our favorite ARKit appsįrom measuring tapes to a map of the heavens, ARKit boosts your iPhone whether you’re into practical utilities or expanding your horizons. We’ve scoured the App Store to find the best apps and games that take advantage of blending virtual objects with your local environment, providing you with exciting new ways to interact with immersive digital experiences. Because ARKit is baked into the heart of iOS, every developer immediately had access to hugely powerful tools for crafting virtual realities inside your iPhone.

With iOS 11, Apple ushered in an augmented reality revolution. Combine the real and the virtual with this selection of augmented reality apps and games

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