BWild |
February 25, 2013
Metaio makes a breakthrough in augmented reality
Metaio, a pioneer of augmented reality technology, has long held a focus on software for mobile devices. The company specializes in augmented reality and has produced many of the world’s most acclaimed AR applications, with an emphasis on showing off the capabilities of the technology. Metaio is now looking to expand into the realm of hardware as it works to ensure that mobile devices can live up to the demands of augmented reality.
AR Engine to expand the capabilities of interactive technology
Metaio has partnered with ST-Ericsson to develop a new hardware chipset called AR Engine. This is the first time Metaio has developed hardware for the purpose of augmented reality and the company believes that it will help expand the capabilities of the technology significantly. The AR Engine is designed to be implemented into a new generation of smartphones and tablets and the entirety of its processing power will be devoted to augmented reality. This means significant improvements in the speed and performance of the technology.
Large-scale augmented reality experiences possible through new chipset
The chipsets exclusive focus on augmented reality will make AR applications run more smoothly on mobile devices. It will also boost performance, allowing for large-scale augmented reality experience, which Metaio suggests could encompass an entire city. The AR Engine also includes improvements to power consumption for particular mobile devices, allowing for “all day” augmented reality capabilities. Metaio CTO Peter Meier suggests that the AR Engine will do for the technology what the GPU did for the game industry several years ago.
AR Engine help realize Augmented City concept
In 2011, Metaio introduced the concept of the Augmented City, the idea of an environment that is completely powered by augmented reality. The firm demonstrated this concept at conferences all over the world, showing how augmented reality could be used as more than just entertainment and navigation. With the AR Engine, Metaio believes that it could move one step closer to making the Augmented City concept a reality.
Mobile games generate more revenue than portable consoles
Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have come to play a major role in the game industry. The advent of smartphones birthed the popularity of applications, relatively light pieces of software that provide services and entertainment for people all over the world. As smartphones became more advanced, so too did their applications. Mobile games have become the most popular of these applications, and they have benefitted tremendously from the advances made in mobile technology. Now, these mobile games are generating revenue that is dwarfing that produced through the game industry’s much touted portable consoles.
Consoles not living up to expectations
Nintendo and Sony are the biggest names in the portable console market. Both companies recently released portable consoles that were highly anticipated among consumers. Despite this anticipation, however, these consoles did not sell as well as the companies had hopes. Both the Nintendo 3DS and Sony Playstation Vita have seen lackluster sales globally and because these consoles are not universally favored by consumers, the games they support have generated less revenue than Sony and Nintendo would have liked.
Data highlights popularity of mobile games
Research firms IDC and App Annie have release data concerning the disparity in the revenues generated through mobile games and portable consoles. The data shows that portable consoles see high sales during holiday seasons, but mobile games account for year-round spending. Approximately 60% of all app spending in Apple’s App Store, and 80% in Google Play, was directed to mobile games. Most of these games include in-game transactions, which entice gamers to purchase power-ups or virtual currencies in order to gain an edge.
Game industry continues to adjust to the clout of mobile devices
The mobile games market has become extremely influential in the overall game industry. Large developers that had, in the past, been focused exclusively on consoles are beginning to set their sights on mobile devices in order to tap into a new generation of consumers. Publishers like Electronic Arts and Activision are also taking a strong position on mobile gaming, expecting to see major success in this market that they have not seen in portable consoles.
