Apple Unveils ARKit 2, USDZ
Apple announces the next iteration of ARKit at WWDC 2018, featuring closer integration with iOS, session persistence, image detection, and a new AR scene format, Pixar's USDZ. The new USDZ format, a wrapper around Pixar's USD format, generated many predictions, opinions, and responses on Twitter regarding USDZ's place in the ecosystem and on the web.
Apple Deprecates OpenGL, OpenCL
Apple deprecates OpenGL and OpenCL, directing developers to use their proprietary graphics API, Metal. Apple's Dean Jackson tweets that this does not change WebGL on Safari.
AR Quick Look in Safari
Safari 12 features the ability to link to USDZ scenes from the web, intenting to Apple's 3D AR viewer. View WWDC's "Integrating Apps and Content with AR Quick Look" video (16:30-20:00) to learn more about the web integration.
Adobe's Project Aero
Adobe announces their new AR authoring tool for developers and designers, Project Aero, and supporting USDZ throughout the Adobe Creative Cloud.
Supercraft: Build VR sites with your Hands
VR browser startup Supermedium announces Supercraft, a VR tool to build and publish VR worlds on the web. Imagine Google Blocks UI with Glitch-style hosting, powered by A-Frame.
Designing in the Wild West
Torch published a white paper documenting their research in immersive UX prototyping, identifying challenges and the "Wall of Pain".
Leap Motion's Project North Star now open source
Leap Motion open sources their schematics for the Project North Star AR headsets. These headsets boast two 1600x1440 displays at 120 FPS with 100 degrees FOV, and under $100 per headset to produce at scale.