Google joins forces with Childish Gambino for new augmented reality app
It's multiplayer too
Google has teamed up with musician Childish Gambino to release an augmented reality app called Pharo AR.
According to a blog post by Google, fans of the This Is America rapper can "journey through his universe to the tune of his latest sounds" through the app, which is now available on Android phones via the Google Play Store.
There;'s no word yet on a release date for iOS devices, but Google says Pharos AR is "coming soon" to iPhone and iPad users.
Algo-rhythms
According to Google, the experience begins with "the opening of an AR portal", which you must walk through to explore an augmented reality cave.
Here, you'll be able to "find and interact with hidden glyphs while still being able to see out into the real world".
Once you've found all of the glyphs, you'll be able to explore more worlds – and you don't have to journey alone, as Pharo AR supports multiplayer.
The app should appeal to music fans as well as AR enthusiasts, as walking through the game reveals an unreleased Childish Gambino track called Algorhythm. According to Pitchfork, "pointing your phone at different neon-lit symbols will trigger spatialized audio loops", which eventually piece together to uncover the full song.
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Olivia was previously TechRadar's Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she's a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She's previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.