Apple’s new ARKit framework for building immersive augmented reality experiences for iPhone and iPad is getting major support from enthusiastic developers ahead of iOS 11’s public release in the fall, with a new food-ordering technology demo showcasing the benefits of seeing near photographic-quality virtual foods on your plate prior to ordering.
The proof-of-concept app demonstrated in the video embedded right below was built with iOS 11’s new ARKit framework by a company called Kobaq, which offers high-quality realistic food models for augmented, virtual and mixed reality experiences.
It’s not hard seeing why restaurant chains might want to adopt ARKit.
An ARKit food menu could permit restaurateurs to present their foods in glorious 3D graphics, providing stunning visualization of the dishes and thereby opportunities for upselling.
As another example, an ARKit cookbook could be especially compelling because, unlike with 2D photographs and videos, it could give you a feel for the food’s appearance and portion size.
I reached out to Kobaq to see if they’re planning on turning this awesome technology showcase into a real app when iOS 11 launches, and will update if they respond. For more ARKit-powered demos, check out our ARKit archive and the madewitharkit.com website.
As per Apple, ARKit apps will be supported on iPhone/iPad models with the A9 chip or newer.