Apple Releasing 'ARKit' for iOS Developers to Fuel All-New Augmented Reality Apps - MacRumorsOpen MenuShow RoundupsShow Forums menuVisit ForumsOpen Sidebar
Skip to Content

Apple Releasing 'ARKit' for iOS Developers to Fuel All-New Augmented Reality Apps

by

Apple today revealed "the largest AR platform in the world," which it's calling ARKit. The new developer platform will help app creators bring high-quality AR experiences to iOS devices using the built-in camera, processors, and motion sensors found in iPhone and iPad.

ios 11 ARKit

Apple is introducing a new platform for developers to help them bring high-quality AR experiences to iPhone and iPad using the built-in camera, powerful processors and motion sensors in iOS devices. ARKit allows developers to tap into the latest computer vision technologies to build detailed and compelling virtual content on top of real-world scenes for interactive gaming, immersive shopping experiences, industrial design and more.

In a demo, Craig Federighi showed off features of the enhanced AR integration into iPhone, including improvements that will be coming to games like Pokémon Go. The company noted that thanks to ARKit's integration within iOS, users won't need any special equipment to take advantage of the augmented reality features.

ARKit-fueled applications are expected to begin arriving with iOS 11 this fall.

Top Rated Comments

Otelm Avatar
117 months ago
It's nice to look at the MR comments to Tim Cook's first comments on AR…

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/07/26/apple-investing-in-augmented-reality/

(sorry, couldn't resist)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ZacNicholson Avatar
117 months ago
coolest thing they've shown today
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Keane16 Avatar
117 months ago
It's nice to look at the MR comments to Tim Cook's first comments on AR…

https://www.macrumors.com/2016/07/26/apple-investing-in-augmented-reality/

(sorry, couldn't resist)
I love looking back like this.

Someone could make a pretty successful blog looking back at how silly MR forum regulars are. (it's also a bit sad how low brow the comments are - find my self spending less and less time here).

========

Certainly some good weight put behind AR by Apple yesterday. Looking forward to seeing what this brings. So far it's all been cool, tech demo type stuff. The MS Hololens demo where they showed someone doing some plumbing/fixing a pipe with the help of AR is the kind of real world useful stuff I'm looking forward to eventually.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 17 pro black feature

iPhone 18 Pro's Camera Upgrade Will Cost Apple 50% More

Friday May 29, 2026 3:44 am PDT by
The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max's all-new variable aperture lens will cost Apple 50% more than the camera unit used in current models, according to supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Variable aperture has been one of the most persistent iPhone camera rumors of the past few years. Kuo first flagged the feature in late 2024, and it has since been corroborated by multiple reports and...
HomePod mini and Apple TV Sage

New Apple TV and HomePod Mini Are 'Nearly Ready' to Launch, New Siri Remote Also Rumored

Sunday May 31, 2026 8:47 am PDT by
New models of the Apple TV 4K and HomePod mini are "nearly ready to go," according to the latest word from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Both devices have been ready "for months," but Apple is holding off on launching them until the more personalized version of Siri is available, he said. "I am told the hardware for the next Apple TV set-top box and HomePod mini has been done for months and...
iphone 18 pro color dummies

First Look at iPhone 18 Pro Color Options Revealed by Dummy Models

Friday May 29, 2026 4:50 am PDT by
Leaker Sonny Dickson today shared images of iPhone 18 Pro dummy models in the device's four rumored colors, offering the first real-world look at what to expect from the lineup visually. Corroborating previous rumors, the dummies show the iPhone 18 Pro Max in Light Blue, Black, Silver, and Dark Cherry. Dickson said "Cherry will probably be the next hit, orange did very well." Cosmic Orange...

🔗 Related Apple News & Rumors

Stay updated with the latest Apple ecosystem news and verified rumors