The refreshed iPad Pro that was unveiled yesterday adds a LiDAR scanner, a first for Apple, to improve augmented reality experiences significantly. And what better way to explore the new tablet from all possible angles, in your home or work environment, than augmented reality?
Apple provides the embedded augmented reality feature on some of its product pages.
To enjoy the new iPad Pro in person, be sure to visit the official iPad Pro webpage using Safari on your iPhone or iPad, then scroll near the bottom until you reach a section with the heading “Use AR to see the new iPad”. From there, tap the link “View in AR”.
You can then explore a virtual iPad Pro in 3D or drop it on your desk, couch or other furniture and take advantage of multi-touch gestures to pinch, rotate and move around the incredible detailed product rendering complete with reflections of real world surroundings.
Visiting the page on a device that doesn’t support Apple’s augmented reality features, like the Mac, replaces the link with the message “Open this page using Safari on your iPhone or iPad”.
This cool embedded augmented reality capability takes advantage of Apple’s support for USDZ files (that area used to distribute 3D objects) which was implemented in the iOS 12 software two years ago.
With it, stock Apple apps such as Safari, Messages, Mail, News and Notes can take advantage of iOS’s Quick Look feature to display virtual objects in 3D or augmented reality. These Quick Look views can be embedded in third-party iOS apps and websites.
Want more AR objects to play with?
If so, visit Apple’s AR Quick Look gallery!