Late last month, Google started rolling out the ARCore framework to a number of non-Pixel devices. The company extended ARCore support to all recent Samsung flagships, the Android Oreo versions of LG’s V30 and V30 Plus, the Asus ZenFone AR, and the OnePlus 5 and promised support for more devices in the near future. However, even though the aforementioned smartphones received ARCore support, the devices couldn’t make use of it due to the lack of ARCore apps on the Play Store.
As mentioned on a recent post on Reddit, ARCore apps are finally making their way to the Google Play Store. The app release is in time for the upcoming Google Game Developer Conference (GDC) which is scheduled to start on March 19, and where Google will release a new high-resolution VR display. One of the biggest ARCore releases- My Tamagotchi Forever– comes from developer Bandai Namco. The game is now available on the Play Store for free.
The BBC has also released Civilizations AR on the Play Store which makes use of augmented reality to help users interact with ancient art and culture on their supported smartphones. The Porsche Mission E app, which was showcased at MWC, has also been released on the Play Store and it allows users to interact with the Porsche Mission E concept.
Along with new app releases, a number of Google Tango apps have been updated for ARCore. These include Solar Simulator and Slingshot Island, among others. Another notable ARCore release is Booty Traps! which allows users to “hunt ghost pirate treasure in mixed reality.” However, the app is still under development so you might encounter some bugs here and there.
