ARKit

ARKit, which was introduced in iOS 11, is a framework for easily creating augmented reality projects for the iPhone and iPad. ARKit's features include:

  • TrueDepth Camera
  • Visual Inertial Odometry
  • Scene Understanding
  • Lighting Estimation
  • Rendering Optimizations

 The downsides to ARKit are that it is an experimental software and subject to change often, and that it requires the use of the Apple iPhone X to take full advantage of the TrueDepth Camera. You cannot compile this on Windows for Mac, so it is a requirement to have a macOS to even test the code properly. The pros, however, are that ARKit works with Unity3D and Unreal Engine and can utilize the A9, A10, and A11 Apple processors. In other words, it works with the iPhone 6S and beyond.