The Best iPhone Augmented Reality Apps

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With the constant developments in the gaming world, it’s no wonder that augmented reality (AR) has started taking off. Instead of putting yourself into a virtual world, you bring the digital realm into the real world. From games to education, the best iPhone augmented reality apps draw you in and keep you entertained for hours

Google Maps

Many iPhone users opt for Google Maps instead of the built-in Apple Maps app. Part of the reason is that Google provides fast abilities in its app. With Google Maps AR, you can use your phone’s camera to see virtual arrows and signals.

These signs guide you through your journey so you can get there efficiently. Use Live View to access this format — it brings directions to a new level.

Big Bang AR

You’ve heard about the infamous Big Bang that created the universe billions of years ago. However, with the Big Bang AR, you can experience everything that came after. The cosmos, like never before, will be in your living room.

The app is a collaboration between CERN and Google Arts & Culture that shows you stunning visuals about anything and everything relating to the universe. Check it out on your iPhone today!

Ikea Place

Furniture shopping is now easier than ever. With Ikea Place, you simply use your iPhone to do the work for you. It leaves nothing up to the imagination as it places the object right into your home. 

If you want a chair, the AR tech can place it where it needs to be. You can then customize it and see what works best. This app will save you time and energy, helping you figure out what you want right away.

Angry Birds AR: Isle of Pigs

Angry Birds has been around for a while. It was a top-selling game when it came out over a decade ago. It’s held onto relevance by now transitioning to the augmented world. 

Set up your phone in a location where you have space. Then, start up the app and experience the transformation. You’ll now have a point of view that’s behind the birds as you launch them into the pigs’ hideouts. Knock them down and win the game!

The Machines

If you’re someone who’s interested in playing with friends in fun ways, then The Machines will be one of the best iPhone augmented reality apps for you. It’s a shooter game that uses your setting to integrate bases that you must destroy.

Then, play online or locally with your friends. It’s an innovative way to bring AR to your friend group or to meet like-minded people online. 

Pokemon Go

During the summer of 2016, Pokemon Go was the craze. Across the world, people went and explored nearby areas in search of Pokemon characters. They’d use their iPhone cameras to see the augmented Pokemon and then capture them.

It was one of the first steps in making AR gaming as big as it is now. Though the fascination has died down a bit, you can still play it by yourself or online with your friends. Besides, it was still going strong in 2020 when it made more than $915 million in a single year.

SketchAR

Does drawing interest you? What about drawing in real life and transferring it automatically onto your phone? With SketchAR, you can do just that. You draw with your finger on an object in the real world and the AR tech automatically transfers it to the app.

You can create sketches just for fun, but you can also use the app professionally. If you sketch on a piece of paper, you can digitize it immediately with SketchAR.

Smash Tanks

Another fun tabletop game you can play is Smash Tanks. Create a battlefield in your living room with this app by using AR to control your tanks. Move them across a table or the floor through obstacles and impediments.

It’s a fun way to change the way you see your home. Every surface is now an opportunity for fun.

Civilisations AR

For anyone who loves to visit museums, Civilisations AR will be the right app for you. Take a closer look at fossils and artifacts virtually. They’ll appear like they’re in the palm of your hands to explore.

Listen to narrations or history and switch to x-ray views to learn more. It’s as if you’re in a museum but in a way more convenient way. 

WWF Free Rivers

Field trips were the highlight of your school years. It was a blast to explore new places while learning. That excitement doesn’t have to go anywhere. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) brings you an AR app that can recreate those experiences — for people of all ages.

With AR, you can project environments of all kinds right into your home. From African savannas to Asian deltas, you can explore waterways, build dams and manage it all. It’s a fun way to explore other cultures without leaving your home!

Our Top Picks for iPhones Augmented Reality Apps

With these iPhone augmented reality apps, you step into a world that is only now possible. This technology is powerful — it’s time to get the most out of it.