Amazon brings AR View feature to Android

Amazon is bringing its AR View augmented reality feature to Android devices that support Google's ARCore.

AR View is Amazon's in-app feature that lets users visualize items inside their homes before making a purchase. The feature first launched on iOS in November via Apple's ARKit, but Android is joining the fray now that ARCore is out of beta.

Similar to Apple's ARKit, developers can use ARCore to create augmented reality experiences in apps and games for Android devices. Currently, 13 devices are supported. To use AR view on Android devices, users must first download the ARCore app from the Google Play store. From there, the feature becomes available from the Amazon app's camera icon.

Like similar recent AR implementations in retail, Amazon's AR View feature is closely tied to AR development platforms and the industry-wide push in the tech space to make augmented reality mainstream.

Read also: Google reveals augmented reality ambitions for Android

The common thread through most AR apps in retail is an effort to solve problems posed by visualization. Consumers today have plenty of shopping tools at their disposal, but the ability to make informed purchasing decisions can still be a challenge. AR technologies could reduce confusion and encourage sales, or so the theory goes.

Amazon says it now has 15,000 of its top home furnishing items available for AR View, but e-commerce giant is also touting the feature as a way to find the perfect in-home placement for Amazon-branded devices.

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