Xiaomi releases Google ARCore in China

The Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has put Google’s application ARCore in its own download store. With this, Chinese users can officially install the application for apps in augmented reality for the first time.

ARCore appeared on the Xiaomi App Store this week, reports Google. More companies will follow with support for ARCore, Google says. It is unknown which manufacturers and which devices that will be. Xiaomi supports ARCore on the Mi Mix 2S, the high-end smartphone that the manufacturer released this spring.

The number of devices with support for ARCore has since been expanded, according to the list. All Galaxy S devices since the S7 are on the list, just like the OnePlus 3T and 5. The Nokia 6 (2018) and Huawei P20 phones are also on it, as are some Sony and of course Google’s own Pixel phones.

ARCore 1.0 was released in February. ARCore is a platform that makes apps work with augmented reality. This makes it possible to add virtual objects to the camera image of a smartphone. It works with current hardware on smartphones, such as motion sensors and cameras; no additional hardware is required. ARCore is a further development of Tango, Google’s platform for ar that did require its own hardware.