Apple’s public release of iOS 11 yesterday includes a lot of great new updates. One of the most anticipated new features is the ability for iPhones and iPads with an A9 chip or later to run augmented reality apps made possible by Apple’s ARKit platform. Let’s take a look at some of the best AR enabled apps available now.
Since Apple announced ARKit back at WWDC in June, we’ve seen a lot of impressive demos from developers. From the IKEA virtual furnishing app, to powerful measuring tools, real-world navigation to games, education, or creative uses it quickly became clear that AR on iOS would be a game changer.
In a recent interview, Tim Cook said that while AR isn’t anything new, Apple is “…taking the complex and making it simple. We want everybody to be able to use AR.” He also added that “in one day we can make AR available for hundreds of millions of people.”
An updated App Store comes with iOS 11 that features some of the new AR enabled apps. However, there are also many worthwhile ones that aren’t featured. Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting and useful AR apps available now which we’ve broken down into the categories of fun/creative, games, utility/shopping, and learning/education below.
Keep in mind that even if your device doesn’t support ARKit, you can still buy the following apps (which has led to some negative reviews from some unaware customers). While each developer may vary, Apple states that any iPhone or iPad with an A9 processor or later is compatible to run apps built with ARKit. That includes the iPhone SE/6s and later, along with the iPad Pro models.
Also make sure to note whether the app you’re looking at is iPhone/iPad compatible or iPhone only. Lookout for the warning, particularly when browsing AR apps on iPad that says “This app requires specific features not available on this device.”
Fun/Creative
Holo
This app lets you create your own holograms to add to your photos and videos or also browse and use Holo’s collection of celebrities, original characters, and animals.
Price: Free, no in-app purchases
Paint Space AR
Like Holo, Paint Space AR is a fun, creative app that lets you draw, paint, and add effects to your photos and videos.
Price: Free, $0.99 in-app purchase for full version
World Brush
Similar to Paint Space AR in that it lets your paint the environment around you, World Brush adds a twist to its app.
Users have the ability to like, dislike and report paintings which hides the bad stuff and showcases the good. We use a scoring algorithm that combines popularity and time of creation to serve up the best content based on your location.
Price: Free
magicplan
Whether you’d like to create a floor plan for personal or professional use, magicplan offers what looks like the easiest way to get going.
Create floor plans in minutes and edit them with ease. Add objects, photos, annotations, product price lists, tasks, and taxes in a single tap.
Price: Free, in-app purchases $2.99 and up to save floor plans
Morpholio Trace – Sketching for Design
This new drawing tool lets users uncover virtual perspective grids, to scale, anywhere – making complex sketching easy and accessible. The scaling of the projected grids is revolutionary, and is only made possible by the power of iPad and ARKit to read and interpret the environment for you. Trace grants anyone access to the architect’s tool kit for uses ranging from home or landscape renovations to larger design projects.
Price: Free, $0.99 and up in-app purchases
Games
Zombie Gunship Revenant AR
First up is an AR zombie shooter where you control a helicopter gunship.
INTENSE BATTLES Fight hordes of zombies with beautiful new thermal camera graphics.
DEVASTATING WEAPONS Arm your gunship with gatling guns, cannons, rockets, missiles and the sniper pod.
COLLECT THEM ALL Upgrade and enhance your arsenal with resources you earn in battle.
Price: Free, offers in-app purchases from $0.99-$4.99
ARise
An AR puzzle game that has players discover and solve optical illusions, ARise sounds like an immersive, inspired app akin to the popular Monument Valley (this is one that has a low rating due to customer who didn’t realize the hardware requirements).
No touch or swipe is needed to complete the puzzles, simply move around the floating islands, and look for the visual cues.
First 3 worlds are available today and new puzzles being added for FREE every month.
Price: $2.99, no in-app purchases
Mammoth Mini Golf AR
A prehistoric take on mini golf takes 1-4 players through caveman themed, play and pass style gameplay.
Price: $4.99, no in-app purchases
AR Runner
This app makes indoor and outdoor racing challenges possible with players from around the world and includes 3 different game modes. Just watch your step while you try and focus on the screen as you’re going for that record time 😉
Price: Free, $1.99 for premium version
Stack AR
This simple stacking game bills itself as a way to unwind and relax, although there is a competitive aspect to it as well.
◉ Play in Augmented Reality anywhere ◉ Simple & Beautiful graphics designed ◉ Compete for the best score in the world
Price: Free, $1.99 to remove ads
Utility/Shopping
IKEA Place
Many people will find the Place app useful for trying out the wide range of IKEA products in their homes before deciding buy.
CARROT Weather
CARROT Weather is the humorous and witty weather app that uses Dark Sky’s hyperlocal data to dish out its weather forecasts. It’s now been updated with fun AR features.
Price: $3.99, offers in-app purchases
AR MeasureKit
This robust AR measuring app includes seven different tools and also includes the ability to link multiple rulers together.
Price: Free, $2.99 for Pro version
Houzz
Similar to IKEA’s Place, Houzz has been updated to try out an AR version of its many products in your home before you commit to spending your cash. You’ll also find iOS 11 drag and drop support for iPad.
Learning/Education
JigSpace
This one sounds like an AR evolution of Wikipedia. JigSpace’s mantra is “We learn better in 3D, that’s how we experience the world.”
Our SolAR
Our SolAR provides a fun and engaging way to experience and learn about our solar system.
Price: $0.99 (currently 50% off)
Sky Guide AR
An amazingly robust app diving deep into astronomy in a user friendly way, Sky Guide AR provides a new AR experience with its latest update. Amazingly, this app has 4.9/5 stars on over 18,000 reviews.
Price: $2.99, $9.99 for SUPERMASSIVE version
Thomas & Friends Minis
Sure to be popular for those with kiddos, this app lets you create and customize your own train set.
Price: Free, $0.99 and up in-app purchases
My Very Hungry Caterpillar AR
Another app sure to be popular with kids, or anyone feeling nostalgic is My Very Hungry Caterpillar AR.
It’s almost 50 years since Eric Carle introduced his much-loved character The Very Hungry Caterpillar to the world.
Now with Apple ARKit, the Very Hungry Caterpillar comes to life wherever you are. With Augmented Reality you can see the caterpillar and you can still see the world around you. Watch him appear in your living room, on your kitchen table, in your garden, or anywhere you want to play with him.
Price: $2.99, no in-app purchases
Math Ninja AR
Math Ninja is bringing its popular series to an interactive AR version that looks like a lot of fun.
This is just a small sampling of the AR apps now available. And no doubt many, many more are sure to be released in the coming weeks, months, and years. Have you already found some amazing AR apps that weren’t included above? Share them in the comments below!
