There's a big battle brewing in the tech world, and no, it's not iPhone 8 vs Google Pixel 2. At least, not directly.
Rather, augmented reality (AR) is shaping up to be a major area of contention for tech's top rivals, as Apple's ARKit and Google's ARCore are poised to go head-to-head very soon.
On the eve of the iPhone X and iPhone 8 launch and impending release of iOS 11, Google is giving regular folks a closer look at what its AR framework can do.
The search giant today published six experiments cooked up by Daydream Labs, showcasing how AR in mobile Android devices will give users a whole new way to interact with the world around them.
Street View looks to be a big benefactor of ARCore, and one prototype Google revealed gives users an up-close look at The British Museum as well as a panorama perspective of Great Russell Street.
Yet another Street View prototype removes the arrows and let's you change your view by physically walking. Though you're still looking through a small phone screen, it feels a bit like you're peering through a window into another world.
Google also foresees ARCore being used in building design; another prototype shows how architects can overlay a model onto a home under construction to see what the finished design looks like.
Much like Microsoft's HoloLens, Google also envisions ARCore being used to teach certain skills. To do so, Daydream Labs took another Google experiment in the realm of virtual reality and brought it to AR. Espresso Trainer teaches users the steps to make an espresso, with delicious, highly caffeinated results.
There's also a prototype similar to ARCore's predecessor Project Tango in that users can see and interact with fantastical digital renders, with the depth of field adjusting the closer and further away from the object you move.
Finally, Daydream Labs made use of Google's Visual Positioning Service (VPS) beta and created a prototype where one user can share their location with a friend, and the friend can be guided to them using VPS.
These along with other ARCore creations Google is highlighting give a promising glimpse at the AR capabilities headed to Android phones and tablets. That won't be for some time, however, as the ARCore software development kit just made it to developers.
In the meantime, Apple is poised to deliver AR to millions of iPhones and iPads when ARKit releases along with iOS 11. The new mobile OS is due to arrive shortly after tomorrow's iPhone X launch event, likely when the new iPhones go on sale in a week or two.
