Apple Is Developing a New Augmented Reality App for iOS 14

Apple is developing a new augmented reality app for iOS 14 codenamed Gobi and is testing AR integrations with Apple Stores and Starbucks. This will allow users to get more information about the world around them by using an augmented reality experience on the phone. The AR experience would also be part of Apple’s forthcoming AR headset project.

Based on 9to5Mac code findings, Apple appears to be testing integrations with Apple Stores and Starbucks. For instance, users would be able to hold up their phone in an Apple Store and view information about the products on display, get pricing, and compare features. Likely based on QR-code like tags in the area or perhaps iBeacons or Apple’s AirTags.

There will be some sort of SDK or API integration for third-party companies to provide their own tag identifiers, which would load up custom assets and scenery for that company. It isn’t clear if the API would be a free-for-all or if Apple would use some kind of entitlements system to lock it down to select partners, similar to how they handle the CarPlay API.