The popular Ingress location based game is opening itself up to Apple smartphone players.
Niantic Labs from Google has managed to produce an exceptionally popular augmented reality mobile gaming experience for Android smartphone users, but the next step is going to be a launch for users of iPhones, as well.
This will allow the Apple device users to enjoy the same experience that uses geolocation technology.
This augmented reality mobile gaming opportunity begins as a location based MMO, which uses positioning in the real world in order to impact the various events that are going on within the game. From there it expands into a type of broad scale virtual reality event that continues to grow the more the Ingress players continue to unravel its mysteries.
As a part of the celebration of this growing augmented reality mobile gaming experience, Niantic Labs has gone a step further.
Niantic Labs has now released a video series that is made up of two parts in the form of a retrospective. The purpose is to show the creation of the geolocation game experience and to document the way that the story has progressed until this point. The name of the official documentary that has been released is “Ingress Report: Ingress Year One.”
The videos are both interesting and informative, even to those who have never before played the Ingress game. It is a fascinating way to catch the viewer up with the latest in this experience which has become an event unto itself.
This will be certain to attract iPhone users who are looking forward to being able to take on the game for themselves once it is released in a format that is compatible with their own devices. Rumor has it that this will not be long off and that the release for this version.
That said, this remains big news in the augmented reality mobile gaming world, as Google had previously made the experience available only to users of devices based on its own Android operating system. However, the more players there are of the game, the better it gets. Therefore, this could lead to a considerable influx of players that could greatly improve this already highly enjoyed game.
Mobally, a firm specializing in mobile commerce, has published a new API designed to help retailers take advantage of the growing phenomenon of mobile shopping. Many retailers have seen a dramatic rise in mobile traffic and activity in recent years, but many have yet to embrace mobile commerce in any significant fashion. This may be due to a lack of the mobile space itself and how mobile application work. Mobally believes that its API can help resolve this issue.
API allows for the development of platform agnostic apps
The API enables retailers to design, develop, and deploy completely native retail applications. These applications are platform agnostic, meaning they can be used on both Android and iOS devices as well as others. The applications are meant to help retailers establish a stronger presence in the mobile space, making them more attractive to consumers that have taken to shopping from their mobile devices more regularly.
Retailers become more focused on mobile commerce
Over the past two years, the retail industry has become quite interested in mobile commerce. During the holiday seasons of 2011, 2012, and 2013, mobile sales began to skyrocket, showing retailers that mobile commerce is a promising pursuit. While many large retail organizations have managed to develop their own applications with relative ease, specialty retailers and smaller organizations have had more trouble in this endeavor. Many retailers lack an understanding of mobile technology because of their strict focus on their physical stores and traditional forms of engagement. As such, when these retailers develop their own applications, they can provide a somewhat unpleasant experience for shoppers.
Quickly developed apps may not win consumer favor
An API like that being offered by Mobally could help retailers overcome certain technical hurdles and engage consumers in a more dynamic way. The API allows retailers to quickly build new applications, allowing them to move from concept to deployment in a relatively short amount of time. While this may be good news for retailers, hastily developed applications could provide consumers with a lackluster experience.
