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YOUR iPhone and iPad have just got a sensational new feature that’s set to transform the way you interact with the gadgets.
Augmented reality is about to make your old Apple device seem a whole lot more exciting in the future.
AR allows users to see virtual objects, characters and even games appear as if they were in the room with you.
It works by using your iPhone’s camera to overlay graphics in your actual surroundings with apps allowing you to see the outer depths of space – or simply have a game of mini-golf right in the middle of your living room.
Augmented reality isn’t new but Apple has created something called ARKit which allows app developers to create amazing content in a matter of days.
Before ARkit, these teams would have to spend months simply getting augmented reality to work without even starting to produce their latest fun creations.
Dr Dave Ranyard, founder and CEO of Dream Reality Interactive, said: “We have found ARKit really simple to develop for, it just works. If we had created Orbu, our soonto-be-released iPhone game, without ARKit, it would have taken us literally years, but actually, it has only taken a few weeks.
“That’s because ARKit does all the heavy lifting for you. AR will be huge on mobile, think of life before a built-in camera, GPS or music. We will use it for games, retail (look at the Ikea app) map info, and much more. In a couple of years we’ll be saying, ‘How did we manage without AR’.”
To take advantage of augmented reality all you need is a relatively new iPhone or iPad which must be running the latest iOS 11 software. Here’s some top apps to help you give it a try. Night Sky – FREE
Quickly identify stars, planets, constellations and satellites and even current space missions by simply holding your iPhone, iPad or Apple Watch to the night sky. Orbu – Coming soon
Orbu is a fun little game that turns your living room into a cute Japanese themed garden. Choose from a range of Orbu, who can roll up into a little ball and be controlled with simple swipes to navigate bridges and ponds. Smash Tanks! – Coming soon
Smash Tanks! is an AR multiplayer action board game. You control an army of tanks in a variety of environments that require you to walk around the room to alter your view of the battlefield. ARise – Available now
ARise is a perspective-driven platform game using ARKit to place a floating island into the real world. The user must walk around each level to find the correct perspective in order to line up the paths and allow the character to progress.