The AR Roundup: December 2018

2 years ago 96

Here�s what you missed in augmented reality for December�2018Screen capture from Episode 7 of Glimpse by Futurism (This months� Featured�Video)NumbersWorldwide Spending on Augmented and Virtual Reality Expected to Surpass $20 Billion in 2019�(IDC)AR & VR headsets for Q3 of...

Here�s what you missed in augmented reality for December�2018

Screen capture from Episode 7 of Glimpse by Futurism (This months� Featured�Video)

Numbers

Worldwide Spending on Augmented and Virtual Reality Expected to Surpass $20 Billion in 2019�(IDC)AR & VR headsets for Q3 of 2018: VR market saw 8.2% year-over-year growth in the third quarter of 2018, while AR headsets achieving a smaller 1.1% gain according to IDC. (VentureBeat)Mobile AR reaches over 1 billion users worldwide. Social media AR apps are the most popular among mobile AR users (84%), but a sizable 41% of users report using AR features in online shopping apps. (SuperData Research)Google�s ARCore support has jumped significantly. Google has indicated that the latest ARCore update, version 1.6, will be rolling out to over 250 million phones compared to the one million reported back in February with ARCore�s initial release. (9to5�Google)New survey data from Digi-Capital and AWE show interest in mobile AR is higher than other XR platforms. Mobile AR matters to 76% of all respondents, with smartglasses at 65% similar to VR 62%. (VentureBeat)Toyota is the latest car manufacturer touting the merits of Microsoft HoloLens from visualizing new models on the factory floor at scale and in 3D to reducing repeatable tasks on the line. Toyota highlighted one use case in particular in which HoloLens was used to reduce a common task of measuring the thickness of a vehicle�s paint and rust-prevention coating down from an entire day for two employees to four hours only requiring only one worker.�(CNN)Huawei�s CEO, Richard Yu, promises AR glasses in 1�2 years while focusing on mobile experiences to help customers get accustomed to augmented reality in the meantime. (CNBC)

Featured Video: A �Glimpse� into the future of�AR

https://medium.com/media/c2138c2d86739c4a1157a33c96c64578/href

Money

Big News

Microsoft Wins $480 Million Army Battlefield contract which will lead to a purchase of 100,000 HoloLens (Bloomberg)UK Government issues �72 million investment in new Core Innovation Hub to bolster VR/AR and other tech to make UK world leader in construction (Gov.uk)Samsung to invest $40m in Niantic in �exclusive� games deal (The Inquirer)Magic Leap is Offering Individual Developers up to $500K for Their AR Projects (Road to�VR)AR startup Blippar in danger of becoming a blip as shareholders fight over future funding (TechCrunch)

Hardware

Ultrahaptics raises �35m for expansion (The Sunday�Times)DigiLens raises funding for holographic AR displays from Niantic and Mitsubishi Chemical (VentureBeat)WaveOptics Raises $26 Million to Expand AR Optics Supply Chain (Road to�VR)

Platforms &�Tools

Phiar raises $3 million for an AR navigation app for drivers (TechCrunch)Wearable Augmented Reality Startup ARtGlass Closes $1.3 Million Angel Round (Digital�Journal)Banuba raises $7M to supercharge any app or device with the ability to really see you (TechCrunch)VR/AR Adtech Startup Admix Secures $2.1m Investment (VR�Focus)Admix Completes Acquisition of VRFocus.com (VR�Focus)China�s AI start-up Megvii raising $500 million at $3.5 billion valuation (Reuters)Capture raises $2.4M to use your smartphone camera to create 3D models (TechCrunch)

Applications & Solutions

Streem raises more cash for AR-powered home improvement tech, hints at larger vision (GeekWire)Genies brings lifelike avatars to other apps with $10M from celebrities (TechCrunch)

Featured Tweet: HoloLens brings Tinkerbell to�life

Ben Fineman on Twitter

I love the potential of augmented reality for performing arts. Here is a project at Carnegie Mellon where Tinker Bell appears in a live action performance of Peter Pan using #AR, as viewed through a @HoloLens. Amazing! @cmuetc https://t.co/u8UdPkoCaN https://t.co/rrg2faeyfz

News

Hardware

Bose opens pre-orders for its augmented audio sunglasses (TechCrunch)Qualcomm announces the Snapdragon 855 processor for 5G phones (The�Verge)Snap will reportedly release AR-enabled Spectacles with dual cameras for $350 (Cheddar)2nd gen. Google Glass Enterprise Edition gets FCC certification (9to5�Google)Facebook�s Portal video chat devices are on sale now (VentureBeat)Ctrl-labs details Ctrl-kit, which lets users control computers with their brain (VentureBeat)Occipital launches new Structure Core Sensor (Next�Reality)British AR pioneer Wave Optics signs deal with Google supplier Goertek (Telegraph)

Platform &�Tools

Snap launches a certification program for AR shops to craft branded lenses (TechCrunch)Google�s ARCore version 1.6 rolls out adding support for more realistic lighting and screen capture (9to5�Google)Unreal Engine 4.21 Adds Support for Magic Leap�s Lumin OS & Windows Mixed Reality Apps (Next�Reality)Samsung Unveils Its Project Whare AR Cloud Service & Wacom Partnership for AR Creations (Next�Reality)Mozilla debuts an early developer preview of Servo browser on Magic Leap One (Mozilla)Konica Minolta enters augmented reality market (Print�Week)Immersal launches multi-player AR Cloud SDK powering indoor navigation and more (PR Newswire)VR veterans found Artie augmented reality avatar company (VentureBeat)Modiface launches new tool that enables photo-realistic AR simulation of nail polishes (Next�Reality)TwentyBN demonstrated a brand new computer vision based-avatar named Millie that is designed for retail and entertainment applications (NVIDIA)

Applications & Solutions

Chris Milk�s first AR app, Wonderscope, is here, and it�s revolutionary (Fast�Company)Google�s Arts & Culture app lets you turn your home into an augmented reality museum featuring the works of Johannes Vermeer (Next�Reality)Google Lens can now be accessed directly from the search app on iOS (The�Verge)Seedling launches as the first paid app for Magic Leap One (Road to�VR)LEGO�s ARKit Playgrounds app launches with NINJAGO theme (9to5�Mac)Magic Leap Roars into the Auto World via Kia Stinger App from RelayCars (Next�Reality)�David Bowie Is� Exhibition Will Become Augmented Reality App (Rolling�Stone)Niantic Partners With United Nations to Promote Global Tourism (Variety)Fantasmo pivots to scooter cameras that keep them off sidewalks (TechCrunch)Children�s Book Classic Peter Rabbit & Other Tales Come to AR via iOS App (Next�Reality)Korean facial recognition avatar app Zepeto takes China�s youth by storm (TechNode)Cheddar to launch in mixed reality on Magic Leap devices�(Axios)

Marketing Campaigns

Haagen-Dazs Presents a Mini Augmented Reality Concert Atop Your Pint (Fast�Company)Domino�s launches world�s first AR pizza chef (Dominos)Marriott teams with Pepsi�s Lifewtr for in-room AR art displays (MobileMarketer)Sneaker marketplace GOAT announces an AR-centric Black Friday giveaway (TechCrunch)Office Depot launches first holiday-themed AR ad on Facebook for �Elf Yourself� (Marketing Land)Walmart & Target Unwrap New Augmented Reality Features to Bring in Holiday Shoppers (Next�Reality)8th Wall, Sumerian and Sony Pictures launch WebAR Spider-Man experience (VR�Focus)CoverGirl opens first brick-and-mortar retail featuring augmented reality�(Glossy)The New York Times publishes an AR tour of the Statue of Liberty�s Torch (Next�Reality)The New York Times publishes an AR tightrope performance by actor Lakeith Stanfield in its �Great Performers� issue (Next�Reality)Mall of America debuts helpful holographic elf for the holidays (Engadget)

Featured Poll: Did you pre-order Bose�AR?

Tom Emrich on Twitter

Did you pre-order a pair of Bose AR sunglasses?

Featured Quote:

�In a few years, we�re not going to be able to imagine our lives without [AR]. It�s that profound a platform,� Tim Cook?�?CEO of Apple. (Next Reality via�Axios)

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The AR Roundup: December 2018 was originally published in Super Ventures Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.


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