The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup is on – and celebrations aren’t limited to the physical world. A number of innovative activations on Snapchat ensure that fans everywhere can feel like a part of the action. Snap’s 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Lenses While AR activations can be fun, they don’t often add much real value for people actually following the sport. Snap’s USWNT (the US Women’s National Team) Team Tracker Lens uses brand new tech and classic Snapchat style to display real-time team and player information. Another lens can be used to preview Stories augmented with content from th ..read more

  As if our smartphones weren’t already incredible enough, startup company AR-Generation is using them to bridge the gap between the real and virtual worlds. With their new cutting-edge app, you can create 3D models with only your smartphone and use them for any AR or metaverse application. Introducing MagiScan Meet MagiScan, an AI-powered 3D scanner app that produces high-quality 3D models for any AR or metaverse application. Developed by AR-Generation, a member of the NVIDIA Inception program, MagiScan is the first and only 3D scanner in NVIDIA Omniverse, a real-time 3D graphics collab ..read more

  Historically, Niantic has made much of its money through in-app purchases on its free-to-play games like Pokémon Go. However, recent announcements from the company suggest that it’s exploring new monetization strategies, including through web-based experiences powered by 8th Wall. Niantic Pioneers AR Ads In-App The Cannes Lions Festival recently took place in the South of France (and in Virbela, if you got a golden ticket from PwC). Niantic took the opportunity to announce a new ad format coming to its AR games. “Rewarded AR ads is a revolutionary new ad product from Niantic, which use ..read more

  Press release   Istanbul, Türkiye — EUMENA Events, the event consultancy and management specialist, is proud to announce the launch of MetaGate – International Metaverse Summit, a three-day business-focused hybrid summit that will take place in September 2023 in Istanbul, Türkiye. MetaGate will bring together international experts, technologists, digital builders, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and enterprises to discover the power of the metaverse, identify its real value, and discuss its utility for businesses.The summit will feature sessions, keynotes, fireside tal ..read more

  Step into the captivating realm of immersive retail, where customers are transported to a world beyond the traditional confines of e-commerce. Virtual try-ons and mesmerizing augmented reality simulations have long held the attention of shoppers, but the path to these enchanting encounters was often reserved for big brands with substantial resources. Today, a transformative alliance between 3D visualization platform Hexa and e-commerce powerhouse Amazon is breaking down the barriers of immersive retail. This dynamic collaboration is poised to redefine how merchants engage with their cu ..read more

  DigiLens may not be on every XR user’s mind, but we all owe them a lot. The optical components manufacturer only recently released its first branded wearable, but the organization makes parts for a number of XR companies and products. That’s why it’s so exciting that the company announced a wave of new processes and partnerships over the last few weeks. SRG+ “Surface Relief Gratings” is one complicated process within the production of the complicated system that is a waveguide – the optical component that put DigiLens on the map. The short of it is that waveguides are the translucent s ..read more

  For the last few years, Campfire 3D has been expanding the world of “holographic collaboration” with a custom headset and base station as well as software that works in headset-based mixed reality and virtual reality, mobile-based augmented reality, and now on desktop 3D. The company is currently launching new hardware and a new product package, so we spoke with CEO and co-founder Jay Wright for a software demo and an explanation of the new release. Gather Around the Campfire “Our mission is to deliver what we call holographic collaboration – multiple people standing around a digital m ..read more

  XRHealth is an enterprising company that combines telehealth with VR gaming for remote physical and occupational therapy solutions. Amelia Virtual Care also pioneers VR telehealth, but prioritizes a different kind of therapy by focusing on mental wellness. The two companies recently announced a merger. The resulting company will offer both physical and mental therapy through the combined teams, skills, and software of both companies. Eran Orr, current CEO of XRHealth (which will be the name of the new combined company) will remain CEO. What Amelia Virtual Care Brings to the Table “We’r ..read more

  It’s already been a year since Niantic acquired 8th Wall. While acquisitions can be a scary thing in the tech world, both companies are growing and strengthening through their partnership. Pillars of the Earth Niantic and 8th Wall are both AR companies that might be bigger and more important than some realize. However, they both come at AR architecture and accessibility from different perspectives. Their coming together was a game changer that’s hard to understate. Niantic Senior Director of AR Product Marketing, Caitlin Lacey, helps us understand what the companies are doing in their ..read more

  WebXR development is increasingly popular. Developers want to create content that users can enjoy without having to install apps or check the compatibility of their devices. One of the companies working for the advancement of immersive technologies, Wonderland GmbH, based in Cologne, Germany, has recently announced one giant leap forward in this process. They have recently released Wonderland Engine 1.0.0, a WebXR development platform already vouched for by top content creators. Wonderland Engine 1.0.0 – Bringing Native XR Performance to WebXR Development What is special about the new ..read more