TRW: AR tools revealed at AWE USA 2021

Featuring Niantic, Qualcomm, CareAR, 8th Wall, Blippar and Holo-Light

After a brief hiatus in which the 10th edition of VRWordTech Magazine was published, Facebook rebranded and the metaverse entered the mainstream consciousness, The Reality Wire returns with the biggest announcements from AWE USA 2021 and an assessment of their possible impact on the enterprise market and those serving business and professional users.

Despite all of the coverage being given to virtual reality (VR) lately by VRWorldTech and other media outlets, augmented reality (AR) announcements grabbed most of the headlines at the major immersive technology event in Santa Clara, California.

Niantic and Qualcomm outlined their plans for AR, including Lightship, an “opening the vault of technology that powers Pokémon GO” backed by a $20 million investment fund, and Snapdragon Spaces, a headworn AR developer kit to enable the creation of immersive experiences.

Both programmes promise tools and funding for developing AR content for the slew of devices coming to market and being built, a process that Qualcomm is playing a key role in, not least with the introduction of its first AR reference design based on the Snapdragon XR1 platform.

AR offers much potential for the enterprise market, from remote guidance of the kind on show at CareAR, to marketing and advertising online and in the real world, where 8th Wall and Blippar are emerging leaders.

Pay close attention to these tools and take the time to consider how you and/or your organisation can benefit. They invite the possibility of doing something you couldn’t before, accessing devices that were previously closed to you, and much more.

Here are the announcements in full. Let VRWorldTech know what you think via Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook or editor@vrworldtech.com.

The Reality Wire is a weekly digest of the latest product and service updates, partnership news, funding opportunities and more for the busy immersive technology professional and enterprise user. To feature, add editor@vrworldtech.com to your press distribution list.

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Images: Niantic, Qualcomm, CareAR, 8th Wall, Blippar and Holo-Light