Google’s augmented reality platform ARCore is expanding its support to the OnePlus 5T and a number of other Android smartphones as part of a new update which started rolling out on Monday. ARCore build 1.3 should hence already be available for download from the Google Play Store on a global level, whereas its improved compatibility encompasses Xiaomi’s newly released Mi 8, Nokia 6, Nokia 7 Plus, and Honor 10. Google and its OEM now appear to be moving toward enabling mid-range devices to power contemporary AR experiences as well, as evidenced by the addition of the aforementioned Nokia-branded handsets to the solution’s list of supported handsets. Motorola’s Moto G5S Plus and G6 Plus are another two value-oriented phones capable of powering ARCore concent as well.
An unspecified number of performance enchantments and bug fixes is also part of ARCore 1.3, according to its official changelog which doesn’t go into any more depth on the matter. A full list of supported devices can be found by referring to the source link below. The expansion of ARCore’s compatibility has been a somewhat chaotic affair, with no clear roadmap ever being outlined and some manufacturers updating their old devices before their latest offerings, as was the case with e.g. Samsung whose Galaxy S7 lineup was able to run the solution two full months before the Galaxy S9 series was.
As was the case before, ARCore remains available as a standalone Android app distributed through the Google Play Store, though it doesn’t have its own interface and is only meant to serve as a framework for supported AR apps which users must download separately. Google‘s mobile ecosystem is still in its infancy and no single true hit emerged from it so far, though the company may opt for a more concentrated AR push this fall after it releases the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL Android flagships, both of which should run ARCore out of the box.