iPad & iPhone User - USA (2019-08)

iOS 13

looking feature, and I like to think that refined future

versions could allow for something like full-body

Memoji. Apple only gave this feature a few seconds,

but it could end up being the most influential.

But it needs some refinement. Even Apple’s

presentation at WWDC showed an avatar with slightly

choppy animations. I’ve little doubt that iOS motion

tracking will improve once the iPhone’s rear camera

gets proper time-of-flight sensors.

Collaborative sessions

Augmented reality as we know it is largely a solitary

experience (at least on iPhones), but ARKit     3    changes

that by introducing collaborative sessions that let

people play (or work) within the same AR spaces.

At WWDC, two representatives from Mojang showed

how this would work in the upcoming Minecraft Earth

by building a castle together. The demo was also a

great way to show how ARKit 3’s other features work in

practice, as when the developers illustrated occlusion

by walking behind digital flowers.

Simultaneous use of front and rear cameras

ARKit   3    now lets developers track your environs with

both the front and rear cameras at once. I haven’t

had a chance to see this feature in action yet, but it

sounds as though it’ll be absolutely devastating for

your iPhone’s battery.

In practical terms, this feature would allow iOS users

to use their faces to interact with digital objects that

have been mapped out with the rear camera, which

could lead to games involving other characters reaction

iOS 13

lookingfeature,andIliketothinkthatrefinedfuture

versionscouldallowforsomethinglikefull-body

Memoji.Appleonlygavethisfeatureafewseconds,

but itcouldendupbeingthemostinfluential.

Butitneedssomerefinement.EvenApple’s

presentationatWWDCshowedanavatarwithslightly

choppyanimations.I’velittledoubtthatiOSmotion

trackingwillimproveoncetheiPhone’srearcamera

getspropertime-of-flightsensors.

Collaborative sessions

Augmentedrealityasweknowit islargelya solitary

experience(atleastoniPhones),butARKit 3 changes

thatbyintroducingcollaborativesessionsthatlet

peopleplay(orwork)withinthesameARspaces.

AtWWDC,tworepresentativesfromMojangshowed

howthiswouldworkintheupcomingMinecraftEarth

bybuildingacastletogether.Thedemowasalsoa

greatwaytoshowhowARKit3’sotherfeaturesworkin

practice,aswhenthedevelopersillustratedocclusion

bywalkingbehinddigitalflowers.

Simultaneoususeoffrontandrearcameras

ARKit 3 nowletsdeveloperstrackyourenvironswith

boththefrontandrearcamerasatonce.Ihaven’t

hada chancetoseethisfeatureinactionyet,butit

soundsasthoughit’llbeabsolutelydevastatingfor

youriPhone’sbattery.

Inpracticalterms,thisfeaturewouldallowiOSusers

tousetheirfacestointeractwithdigitalobjectsthat

have been mapped out with the rear camera, which

could lead to games involving other characters reaction