So long Project Tango, we barely knew ye - Technology Knowledge

Tuesday, 19 December 2017

So long Project Tango, we barely knew ye

Google announced last week that it’s killing off Project Tango, its ambitious initiative to bring AR support to phones with the necessary hardware (read: depth- and motion-sensing cameras).
It wasn’t entirely unexpected, particularly after Google launched its ARCore technology earlier this year – it allows for augmented reality experiences on phones without the need for specialized components.
Only two devices – Lenovo’s Phab 2 Pro, and Asus’ ZenFone AR, were built to the standards demanded by Google to support Tango.
While ARCore is arguably a better use of Google’s time because it’ll reach more people, it’ll be interesting to see if the company – as well as third-party Androidphone makers – ever bother with dedicated depth- and motion-sensing cameras again.

As Google’s been proving with its various ARCore demos (including a recent one that let you add live Star Wars stickers to your videos on Pixel handsets), you don’t need those to enjoy a quality AR experience with fairly accurate tracking and positioning of virtual elements.

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