Good news! We’ve recently updated the Layar SDK as we continue to make it as easy as possible to embed your own Augmented Reality (AR) experiences into your own iOS and Android apps.

Having the freedom to customize your AR experience to fit your brand and your users’ needs has always been a cornerstone of the Layar SDK, and with this latest update we aim to continue that tradition. So what’s new in the latest version?

Custom Location Provider
You no longer need to rely solely on the built-in GPS of the user’s device to get location data. Now you can hook into any location provider that you choose. For example, you can use iBeacons to create a more accurate location-based AR experience when indoors.

A note to developers: the Layar SDK simply allows for a custom location provider but does not include any alternative providers itself, that part is up to you!

More Custom Callbacks
We’ve added more callbacks that give you more control over the look-and-feel of your experience. For Geo Layers, you can now opt to remove the compass and the messages shown at the top which usually pertain to the number of results found nearby.

These changes make it even easier to create your own customized AR experience, whether that means creating a custom look or using advanced custom location providers to make a more engaging experience.

If you’re an existing SDK user, check your inbox for instructions on updating your SDK. Or if you’re interested in using the SDK, you can try it now for free!

^{By Dirk Groten, CTO of Layar}

This week, in collaboration with Metaio and Wikitude, we here at Layar are very excited to announce that we are adding cross-platform interoperability into our mobile Augmented Reality apps. This will allow location based content (like Geo Layers) to be viewed on any of three AR browser platforms – The Layar App, Metaio’s junaio browser and the Wikitude app – regardless of which platform the content was created for.

Back in February at Mobile World Congress, we came together with Metaio and Wikitude to demonstrate cross-platform interoperability during an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) workshop. As of today, these capabilities are now supported by all three platforms. We will include interoperability in version 8.3 of the Layar App which is coming soon.

Publishers of location-based AR experiences can now use a single platform to create and publish their content and can use the new “ar://” scheme to promote their work. Users can open these experiences on any of the three AR browsers.

Right now, interoperability supports simple location-based points of interest (POIs) with a title, description and image. They can have basic actions with custom labels, including link to a website, get directions, make a call or SMS, play video or audio and send an email.

Features not supported include 3D models, complex interactions (scripting, server calls) and animations. The format used to exchange AR content is CARIF (PDF), which is based on ARML 2.0.

This is a huge step towards interoperability between the various AR platforms. We view this as only a first step, as a lot of work still needs to be done to get full interoperability between the various AR browsers.

We’re happy to see that our three companies were able to work together in such a constructive way to alleviate the pain of developers of AR experiences that have to work with so many different platforms. I’m looking forward to continuing this journey, and hoping that more companies can join this effort.

We’ve released a big update to the Layar SDK, which lets you easily embed AR and interactive print functionality into your own mobile apps.

As the popularity of AR and interactive print continues to grow alongside mobile innovation, more and more consumers across the globe are looking for instant, real-time data about their surroundings. Layar’s widely popular Geo Layer technology allows location-based information to be displayed in a “heads up” augmented view of the real world. Popular examples include Funda, a collection of local real estate properties, and archINFORM, which displays architectural information for nearby buildings.

Brands have been turning to the Layar SDK solution to provide their own custom interactive print app experience to customers while maintaining their brand identity. Now, brands can also use the SDK to display relevant, real-time location-based data with the inclusion of Geo Layers.

With the new Layar SDK, either scannable content or Geo Layers can be used on their own, but when used together, the combination of opens up exciting new possibilities. Imagine scanning an ad for a shop to see a Geo Layer of nearby locations, or viewing the locations of nearby events by scanning an event calendar.

But that’s not all that’s new. Here’s a breakdown of what’s included in the new Layar SDK…

Location-Based Geo Layers
In addition to scannable images, you can now also use the SDK with Geo Layers, which are great for displaying location-based content like nearby shop locations, real estate information and more! When used together with scannable content, the combination opens up exciting new possibilities. Imagine scanning an ad for a shop to see a Geo Layer of nearby locations, or viewing the locations of nearby events by scanning an event calendar.

New Layar 8.0 Look and Feel
The SDK has been updated to including the more responsive and user-friendly “Scan” animation, which has shown to not only “wow” users but also help them keep their device correctly pointed at the scannable content. The SDK now also includes improved feedback messages which help users achieve better results with the application.

Enhanced Options and Functions
Brands will now be able to more deeply integrate the Layar SDK into their own apps by making use of new advanced features. App developers can create a history of recently viewed content for the user, implement their own custom feedback messages and more.

“With our unique SDK solution, we enable developers and organizations to reach out to consumers in their everyday life,” says Layar CEO Quintin Schevernels. “By combining the collective data of your surroundings, information becomes meaningful, real-time and instantaneous.”

Over 35 million users have downloaded the Layar App for iOS and Android, and over 64,000 publishers and marketeers are using Layar’s technology to build and manage interactive print campaigns.

The new and improved Layar SDK is available now by request at layar.com/sdk.