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ARKit demos: jumping between planes, people tracking, alien invasion, Tic-Tac-Toe & more

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2017

Apple's ARKit framework is slowly but surely emerging as one of the best new features in iOS 11. Many developers have built everything from virtual tape measures and Minecraft to ballerinas made out of wood dancing on floors. It's remarkable that most of the ARKit demos we've seen so far were built in a matter of hours or days, not weeks or months.

Today, we want to highlight a few additional ARKit demos that we've curated. These videos highlight ARKit's incredibly reliable and accurate tracking features that don't require any special hardware beyond the sensors and the camera already present in your iPhone or iPad.

First up, we have this demo showing jumping between different planes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj3PbRTgpQk

ARKit automatically detects horizontal surfaces, called planes, such as tables and floors, and can track and place objects on smaller feature points as well. This is all handled automatically, with uncanny precision, using only data from your iOS device's camera and sensors.

The following pair of videos demonstrate a virtual character interacting with the environment by autonomously jumping a flight of stairs and between different surfaces of the real world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vozrtqe7MZY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7REJj_bN-c

Interactions between virtual objects and real people are easy as a pie with ARKit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdAqD4uIbX0

The Tracking Monster demo, seen below, uses ARKit and the Unity engine to track a monster with the dynamically updated shadows based on changing lighting conditions in the real world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IYT-OCWqDg

Maze games will never be the same!

Speaking of games, here's Tic-Tac-Tio in augmented reality, developed By Bjarne Lundgren.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBBq473vuMo

And last but not least, Mixed Reality Design posted the following example of an augmented reality app depicting an alien vessel hovering ominously above a construction site.

Hollywood will soon invade your smartglasses airspace → fact https://t.co/jLYm1YcBW2 pic.twitter.com/to2qqfFIVr

— Mixed Reality Design (@MixedrealityD) July 4, 2017

Head over to the Mixed Reality Design's Twitter account for more AR examples like this.

While it's not entirely clear that this particular demo uses ARKit, it does highlight the possibilities for AR movie trailers that could be coming soon to your phone.

Be sure to check out other interesting ARKit apps and demos, including an upcoming furniture-ordering app from Ikea, a measuring tape that blew up on the web, an ARKit-powered VR mode in Maps, an inter-dimensional portal and much more.

“I think there is a gigantic runway that we have here with the iPhone and the iPad,” Apple executive Greg Joswiak said of ARKit in a recent interview with The Australian. “The fact we have a billion of these devices out there is quite an opportunity for developers.”

How do you like these ARKit demos? Which one is your favorite, and why? Chime in with your thoughts and observations in the comments section below.

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KGI: 2017 iPhones to ship with 5W power adapter, wireless charger sold separately

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 4, 2017

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo clarified in a note to clients, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, that Apple's OLED-based iPhone 8 and LCD-based iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus smartphones would ship with the same old 5-Watt power adapter, like prior iPhones.

A USB-A to Lightning cable should be included in the box as a standard accessory.

He reiterated his previous stance that iPhone 8 would include a USB-C Power Delivery chip for fast-charge capability. Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis predicted that iPhone 8 would come bundled with a 10-Watt power adapter featuring USB-C connectivity and fast-charge support.

All new iPhones coming down the pike in 2017 should adopt all-glass bodies with metal frames to support wireless charging functionality said to be compatible with the standard put forth by the Wireless Power Consortium, of which Apple is a member.

The analyst claims wireless charging will require an inductive charger, sold separately.

All new iPhones would use ten to fifteen percent faster RAM than iPhone 7 for better augmented reality performance in apps that use the new ARKit framework.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s Plus may use 3GB of RAM for better dual-camera performance, while the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s should have 2GB of RAM as it lacks a dual-lens camera.

Kuo said yesterday iPhone 8 would come in limited color options and feature 3D sensing for facial recognition and no Touch ID fingerprint scanning, adding that all 2017 iPhone models would have an improved stereo speaker system and come in 64 and 256GB storage options.

iPhone 8 mockup via iDropNews.

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The best jailbreak tweaks for the Volume HUD

Anthony Bouchard ∙ July 4, 2017

Perhaps one of the worst experiences in iOS out of the box is the volume HUD; it's clunky and appears right in the middle of the screen as you try to get things done.

Since it gets in the way so much, jailbreak developers have been creating alternative solutions for years, and in this roundup, we'll be talking about the best volume HUD-based jailbreak tweaks that work great with the Yalu jailbreak for iOS 10.

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Bloomberg: 3D face scanning feature could replace Touch ID in iPhone 8

Cody Lee ∙ July 3, 2017

Apple is working on a 3D face scanning feature that could replace Touch ID in iPhone 8, reports Bloomberg. Citing sources familiar with the product, the outlet says that the "improved security system" allows users to log in, authenticate payments, and launch secure apps by scanning their face.

This is powered by a new 3-D sensor, added the people, who asked not to be identified discussing technology that’s still in development. The company is also testing eye scanning to augment the system, one of the people said.

The sensor’s speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a user’s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face. The feature is still being tested and may not appear with the new device. However, the intent is for it to replace the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, according to the person.

Apple wouldn't be the first tech company to integrate face-scanning tech into its handset. Samsung's Galaxy S8 has an iris scanner that can be used to unlock the phone, although it has received mostly negative reviews. Apple's face-scanning sensor is believed to be more secure, thanks to 3D depth perception.

Thus far, a majority of the leaks and reports we've seen regarding the iPhone 8 have pointed to a device without a Home button, leading many to believe Apple found a way to embed Touch ID into the display. Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, agrees with Bloomberg's facial recognition theory.

Source: Bloomberg

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Apple could make major upfront investment into LG’s OLED production lines

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 3, 2017

Apple is reportedly in talks with LG Display about investing anywhere between $1.75 billion and $2.62 billion into the South Korean firm's new “E6” plant with a target monthly capacity of about 30,000 units of sixth-generation OLED panels.

According to The Korea Herald newspaper on Monday, the upcoming facility would be “exclusively dedicated to Apple orders” and should come online as early as 2019. A source said that the funding from Apple should help LG Display reduce risks from the lower margin.

The two companies have tentatively agreed on the investment plans, but details on the timing and size of the investment have yet to be finalized. The final decision is expected to be made following LG Display's board meeting later this month.

LG previously discussed an $870 million Google investment into its OLED plant.

An anonymous source said:

Samsung Display is the only display maker that meets Apple’s strict quality criteria for now. LG Display is said to be meeting about 70 percent level of the requirements, while Chinese display makers are still struggling to catch up with that of LG.

LG Display’s OLED supply for iPhone was delayed because the company failed to purchase Canon Tokki’s vacuum machine, the most advanced OLED production equipment whose supply is extremely limited. Recently, LG secured two units of the machine to speed up production.

With the new equipment installations expected in December 2017 and February 2018, LG Display’s production capacity is expected to double to 60,000 OLED panel units per month.

LG’s other new OLED plant, called “E5”, will focus on orders from LG Electronics and Chinese clients. Samsung Display is expected to be the sole supplier of OLED panels for iPhone 8 this year. LG Display currently builds flexible OLED panels for Apple Watch on an exclusive basis.

Samsung Display is reportedly building the world's biggest OLED manufacturing facility dedicated to orders from Apple and Samsung Electronics.

iPhone 8 concept via Benjamin Geskin.

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Sharp beats everyone to completely bezeless phone

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 3, 2017

Forget Xiaomi's Mi MIX, Samsung's, Galaxy S8 or Apple's upcoming iPhone 8: Apple supplier Sharp is set to launch a completely bezeless devices on the July 17. According to GizChina, Sharp's rather mundanely branded FS8016 and FS8010 phones will have 100 percent seamless appearance with no bezels on the sides and really high screen to body ratios.

The otherwise identical Android devices have different processors: the FS8016 model uses a Snapdragon 660 processor with 6GB of RAM while its FS8010 counterpart is powered by a Snapdragon 330 chip with 4GB of RAM.

Each phone will come running on Android 7.1.1 and have a 5.5-inch display with with a 2,048-by-1,080 pixel resolution, dual twelve-megapixel rear cameras, an eight-megapixel camera on the front and 64 GB of onboard memory.

I'm not surprised that Sharp has managed to design what's essentially a seamless phone with a 100 percent full-screen face with no visible bezels given their awesome Aquos Crystal device in 2014, which filed as the first phone to have three of its sides completely bezel-less.

Are you surprised that Sharp is set to beat other smartphone vendors and launch a completely bezeless device? Chime in with your thoughts in the comment section.

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New ARKit demos: Tesla Model 3, food ordering & inter-dimensional portal

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 3, 2017

With the new ARKit framework for building augmented reality (AR) apps, Apple is turning existing iOS devices into the largest AR platform in the world.

We previously shared a bunch of interesting ARKit demos showcasing the possibilities of the framework, including an upcoming furniture-ordering app from Ikea, a measuring tape, an ARKit-powered VR mode in Maps and more.

Today, we're highlight three more examples of ARKit-driven apps: a Tesla Model 3 app by an impatient fan, an example of an inter-dimensional portal in the middle of the street and an app that promises to change how we order food.

First up, a demo app by an impatient Tesla fan who couldn't wait for his ordered Model 3 so he made this ARKit-powered app that lets him drive around a virtual Model 3 in his real world, activate the headlights and so forth.

@elonmusk Couldn't wait 4 my #Model3, so made this AR app, what do you think? #ARkit pic.twitter.com/lIRLTZox7N

— Jelmer Verhoog (@JelmerVerhoog) July 1, 2017

Food ordering will never be the same, says developer Alper Guler who created an ARKit-driven app which renders various foods on your table that you can pan around, zoom in and out, rotate and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFdgVNg4ryM

And last but not least, we have French consulting agency Nedd which came up with a great example of AR+VR, via iPhoneAddict.fr.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIPfpGCxONQ

Before signing off, here's a quick volumetric capture example with ARKit.

hint pic.twitter.com/WOuqVer1Ph

— Made With ARKit (@madewithARKit) June 27, 2017

Very impressive so far, don't you think?

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Supposed iPhone 8 screen frame leaks

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 3, 2017

Last night, prolific smartphone leakster Benjamin Geskin published an image on his Twitter, reportedly obtained from a Foxconn source, which he claims represents a screen frame holding the iPhone 8's OLED display and rumored glass sandwich design together.

The leaked screen bracket lacks any Home button placement because iPhone 8 is widely expected to adopt a virtual Home button in a so-called function area at the screen bottom.

The presumed iPhone 8 part has a large circular cutout at the top.

The cutout could house additional ambient light sensors to make the OLED display of iPhone 8 True Tone-capable or it could be for a rumored 3D sensor for advanced facial recognition, improved selfie quality, 3D mapping and other features.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, iPhone 8 will feature “the highest screen-to-body ratio of any smartphone currently available worldwide” and no in-screen Touch ID.

Corners just don't look right to me—they're too rounded and radius is too small, looking more like Samsung than Apple design. I think this is a Note 8 bracket, but that's just me.

Feel free to share your own observations in the comments section below.

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KGI: iPhone 8 won’t support fingerprint recognition

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 3, 2017

Revered Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities is back with the latest round of predictions conquering Apple's upcoming iPhones, obtained by StreetInsider.

The biggest takeaway from his latest note to clients: iPhone 8 will adopt a full-screen design with a 5.8-inch OLED screen covering nearly the entire front face of the phone. It should have “the highest screen-to-body ratio of any smartphone currently available worldwide”.

The device will feature a virtual Home button. Kuo doesn't think the virtual button will support Touch ID fingerprint recognition although he didn't unequivocally state that the OLED-based handset won't have an integrated in-screen fingerprint sensor.

An excerpt from his note:

We predict the OLED model won’t support fingerprint recognition, reasons being:

(1) the full-screen design doesn’t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition

(2) the scan-through ability of the under-display fingerprint solution still has technical challenges, including: (i) requirement for a more complex panel pixel design; (ii) disappointing scan-through of OLED panel despite it being thinner than LCD panel; and (iii) weakened scan-through performance due to overlayered panel module.

As the new OLED iPhone won’t support under-display fingerprint recognition, we now do not expect production ramp-up will be delayed again (we previously projected the ramp-up would be postponed to late October or later).

The analyst reiterated that the OLED-based device will use 3D sensors for advanced facial recognition, improved selfie quality, 3D mapping and other features.

“To maintain its boutique image, we think the OLED version will offer fewer options for casing colors than LCD iPhone models,” reads Kuo's note.

As for the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s and the 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus updates, Kuo maintains that these models will continue to use LCD display technology and retain the front form factor design similar to the current iPhone 7 series.

The OLED-based iPhone 8 and the 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus will have 3GB of RAM due to dual-camera requirements, while the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s is expected to only use 2GB RAM because it's expected to have a single camera.

All three new models should come with 64GB and 256GB storage options and have a Lightning port with a built-in USB-C Power Delivery chip for fast charging. The output power of the devices' receiver and speaker will be more consistent than before in order to “create better stereo effects,” the analyst predicted.

“For optimized promotional effect, we think Apple may unveil the three models simultaneously in September, though the launch date of the OLED version may trail that of LCD models, and supply tightness may not improve before the first quarter of 2018,” reads the note.

KGI forecast shipments of the three new iPhone models of 80-85 million units during Apple's fiscal year 2017, with an equal split between OLED-based iPhone and the LCD-based iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models.

iPhone 8 Full Vision Display concept courtesy of iFanr.

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Apply new cosmetics to Control Center with CCSmooth10

Anthony Bouchard ∙ July 2, 2017

One of the benefits of having a jailbreak is being able to give your iPhone a new look and feel that's different from every other average Joe on the block. A new free jailbreak tweak dubbed CCSmooth10 by CydiaGeek takes aim at the Control Center interface with this concept in mind.

This tweak comes with a host of options that can make Control Center look totally different than it does out of the box. Its effects are purely cosmetic rather than functional, but to say you can get some awesome effects out of the tweak is an understatement.

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