Qualcomm delivers iOS augmented reality SDK
Qualcomm has launched a version of its augmented reality software development kit aimed at developers working with Apple's iOS platform.
The SDK extends the reach of the augmented reality (AR) kit from Android to iOS for the first time. It was first announced for Android devices in October 2010.
"The expansion of Qualcomm's AR Platform from Android to iOS enables developers to use Apple's XCode and Unity 3 to build high-performance, interactive 3D AR experiences," the company said on Thursday.
Augmented reality technology overlays images of the real world with relevant digital information, for example, showing an overlay of all banks or underground stations in the surrounding area over the top of the image provided by the camera on a mobile device.
Qualcomm has already demonstrated some uses of the technology, largely in gaming or social situations, and hosted a developer challenge at the end of 2010 to encourage development of AR apps.
In the enterprise arena, business software vendor SAP has produced an AR app for iOS that plugs into its business intelligence platform BusinessObjects to provide access to back-end data shown over real world imagery.
The SDK is available to download now directly from the Qualcomm developer website.