Six developers gathered at the Apple campus in Cupertino (USA) to demonstrate how they have been applying augmented reality to their apps with ARKit. This platform is built into iOS 11 and does not require additional hardware, as it simply works on iPhones and iPads equipped with the A9 processor or higher. The highlight is for The Walking Dead: Our World puts zombies of the famous series on the environment around us in real time. You can advance “rescuing” survivors and fighting enemies with weapons – including bow and arrow, swords, grenades, machine guns, among others. There are some similarities to Pokémon Go, and in fact seems to be the next big bet of a game in augmented reality. The Walking Dead: Our World will be released for iOS and Android yet without a definite date.

We also have the Arise, game from Climax Studios where you help a character to navigate a 3D world full of ruins. Instead of traditional controls, you need to use perspective: for example, moving the iPhone until a hole is no longer visible, releasing the passage. Here’s how it works:-

The children’s book TouchPress won a version of augmented reality. In The Very Hungry Caterpillar AR, the child uses their smartphone or tablet to guide a caterpillar that eats virtual fruit. It grows and, over time, it becomes a butterfly. Because ARKit can remember where objects are, even if you move up to 15 m away, you can stop playing and come back later.

Augmented reality also offers a way to experience products. Ikea lets you place full-size replicas of sofas and armchairs in your home: to do so you have to touch one of the 2,000 3D models available in the catalog and place the virtual objects in real space. The app has the same 3D models that Ikea uses in its catalogs. Here’s how it works:-

And, of course, there are apps made just for pure fun. GIPHY World puts GIFs in 3D space, and lets you share videos or send the complete scene to friends with the app:-

Meanwhile, the Food Network In The Kitchen lets you decorate virtual desserts such as cupcakes, and access the corresponding recipe:-

Developers note that creating apps with ARKit is relatively easy: if you already have 3D models, the timeframe varies from 7 to 10 weeks. And Simon Gardner, CEO of Climax Studios, tells The Verge that one of the advantages lies in the user base: there will be hundreds of millions of compatible devices. ARKit works on iPhone 6S or higher, and on any iPad Pro. In turn, Google expects to reach 100 million ARCore-compatible devices by the end of the year. Initially, this platform will work only on Pixel smartphones and the Galaxy S8. It does not require additional hardware but requires Nougat 7.0 or Oreo 8.0. So, what do you think about this Augmented Reality apps for iPhone and iPad? Simply share your views and thoughts in the comment section below.