iPhone launches are one of the most anticipated tech events of the year. With Apple going through a bit of a dry patch when it came to new technology last year, it is no wonder they released two iPhones recently. The iPhone 8 – which is the latest handset model following on from the 7 and the iPhone X which is an all singing all dancing anniversary model. So what specifications have got tech insiders hot under the collar?
ARKit Platform
Unable to resist the urge to show off, Apple gave a demonstration of the iPhone 8’s incredible capability for augmented reality. Not only did it show off the capabilities of the third party platform but also showed enthusiasts the power of the new bionic chip and the new camera. Many people were quick to complain when the iPhone 7 was released that features like the camera were not updated much – so Apple have rectified this by blowing any other products out of the water with their recent launch. The iPhone 8 and the iPhone X are both able to utilise this technology to show high fidelity visuals that are placed in the real world.
Gaming took centre stage as one of the main demonstrations for augmented reality on the new iPhone models – but sports was a close second. The first game was a specialised version of Warhammer 40,000: Freeblade. To show off the new technology Pixel Toys specifically designed a fully functional demo to be showed to consumers that depicted the warriors battling on a real life basketball court. Think Google earth with fights. another demo that excited all of those people that have been waiting years for a more substantial update to the iOS technology was the ability to be able to overlay the faces and names of players on a live basketball game. Although this is not something that seems obviously useful in practice it was a great way for Apple to show off what they have been secretly working on all of this time.
ARKit have not kept it a closely guarded secret that they wanted to develop tools to make augmented reality more of a realistic concept for iOS users. ARKit announced their bid to help Apple remain competitive with Google at the 2017 WWDC conference and ever since tech fans have been patiently waiting to see the product in practice. As well as the new Apple products, ARKit is likely to be available on older devices.
How will competitors respond?
Google have long been the main player when it comes to augmented reality. With software and hardware integration advantages that help them overtake Apple they have carved themselves out as the main players in the augmented reality niche. Many people believe that the popularity of Pokemon Go recently urged Apple to make more of an effort to show off their software’s capabilities when it comes to augmented reality. A war is certainly inevitable when it comes to this new and interesting piece of tech.
When will the iPhone 8 and iPhone X be available?
Now that both of the new iPhone’s have been launched the question on everyone’s mind is – when can I get one? All iPhone fans know that the launch usually precedes the date of release by around a month and this case is no exception. Unfortunately for customers this launch has caused a lot more of a stir than Apple’s recent models. With their being such a gap between the latest handset models being released people are more interested in getting their hands on a new model. Most of the mobile phone networks are now taking pre-orders before the official release date on the 22nd September, but it is still likely there will be a long wait involved. Many people are speculating that it will not be until the middle of November that people are actually able to physically get their hands on an iPhone 8 or an iPhone X. So if you want to get your hands on a new iPhone model to try out ARKit’s augmented reality platform before Christmas, it is best to order now.
