Augmented reality has become a big proponent of many of Google’s efforts throughout late 2019 and most of 2020, thanks to apps and even Search integrating the 3D experiences. This has clearly been a success as the ARCore, or Google Play Services for the AR “app,” has now reached the 1 billion install milestone on Google’s mobile platform.
As spotted by the team over at Android Police, the official Play Store listing for Google’s ARCore has now ticked over the 1 billion install mark. And as they note, because all smartphones that want to utilize the ARCore library have to be certified and now ship with the app pre-installed, we’d wager that the 1 billion figure is likely made up exclusively of pre-installations.
A wide range of the most popular applications utilize the ARCore library on Android, making it essential for popular apps such as Pokemon Go or the latest Google Maps AR features to work correctly. With devices almost constantly being certified, ARCore’s 1 billion install figure is bolstered with each passing month.
It would also make it among the most popular Android apps, except for the fact that ARCore is not technically an app at all. Google is set to expand functionality to allow web-based applications and some games to access the ARCore libraries to enhance online experiences, too.
With VR losing popularity, AR looks to have slotted in nicely into the gap. Expect the ARCore install figure to reach similar levels as many of the other first-party Google apps on the Play Store as we see yet more devices release over the coming 12 months and beyond.
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- Android Auto gets its first third-party navigation app, Sygic
- The Nokia C1 Plus is a dirt-cheap €69 Android Go device
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