Are you holding the map right? Do we go left or right? Is this bit that building or that park? Even using GPS-tracked app maps, navigating around busy cities and towns can be somewhat confusing. With this awesome use of Apple’s ARKit, though, getting fast, clear directions has never been easier.
iOS developer Andrew Hart last week showed off experiments in combining two of Apple’s core technologies. The first is ARKit, its new developer platform for augmented apps that are compatible with iPhones and iPads. The second is CoreLocation, its geographic location and orientation framework. When paired together your iOS device can not only point you in the right direction but practically lead you down the exact path you need to take using virtual pointers that appear on the screen.
ARKit + CoreLocation, part 2 pic.twitter.com/AyQiFyzlj3
— Andrew Hart (@AndrewProjDent) July 21, 2017
A blue line shows you the path to follow while larger arrow markets map out turns coming up. In another video we can see ARKit pointing out iconic locations from a view in London, allowing you to quickly stop and gather your bearings.
ARKit + CoreLocation pic.twitter.com/nTdKyGrBmv
— Andrew Hart (@AndrewProjDent) July 17, 2017
Hart plans to release his work on GitHub soon, though we honestly wouldn’t be surprised if Apple was working on something very similar to this for its official Maps app. ARKit is set to go live for everyone with the official release of iOS 11 later this year. When it does, we’re expecting to see a whole lot more people jump into AR.
