ARCore update pace

[gkiernozek]

Hello, I have an discussion topic here but an important one - I think that ARCore should proceed faster. I was quite disappointed with 1.5.0 update as ARKit is rapidly moving forward with its 2.0 update with features like:

• real time built cubemap for realistic reflections
• stable image tracking
• 3d object scanning
• integrated face tracking
• serialized world map for multiuser interactions

ARCore seems to be stagnated - no "breaking changes", some fixes but mainly invisible for the core of the experience. This technology does not deserve to proceed so slowly as it can be The Next Big Thing, but currently the ARKit is overtaking ARCore by half lightyear.

Sorry @pablisho for those words but I don't mean anything mean, just being honest and you are the only one who can pass my (our?) concerns to rest of the Google Team behind ARCore.

If there are not enough people in the R&D team maybe there is possibillity to let supervisors know that Google is behind Apple in this matter, they will be interested for sure and maybe add more fireteams to the case :)

[pablisho]

Thanks for the feature requests. For shared/multi user experiences take a look at Cloud Anchors https://developers.google.com/ar/develop/unity/cloud-anchors/overview-unity

[kolboch]

+1 and at the same time I quite understand Google. Apple has its ecosystem and is able to produce bug free soft faster, at the same time there is Google which ARCore support LG, Samsung, Xaomi, etc. You see the difference, but its true that it would be great if there would be more resources put into development and maintanace/ fixing existing bugs for ARCore. When it comes to big thing I think hardware needs to adapt (wearables like google glass), as its one of few cases where software is way ahead of the technology it does need IMO.

[GridWanderer]

I'd really like to know why Google is not taking AR seriously as Apple as well. Apple's hardware team has a working AR headset prototype, and now has 2 years of just polishing before release. You guys need to move fast. You had such a long headstart, but you NEEDED to stay ahead of Apple. If not, Apple will release be the first company to redefine the next major mobile computing platform class, again (AR mobile headset technology) and Google will once again be perceived once again as a low-quality ripoff brand in Apple consumers' minds. Who is running Google's AR division? Is it lack of leadership, lack of vision? Do you seriously not know what to do? It is so clear that AR is the next major computing class, and so sad to see Google giving up the race before it even begins. You have a chance to be the new Apple, and you just sit from the sidelines, not knowing what to do. And look at your company valuations in comparison as a result. I wish I ran Google's AR division. The squandering of such potential, it is the greatest tragedy. I'm so sorry that your leadership doesn't know how to guide your product teams. A/B testing is not a valid strategy for inventing a deeply revolutionary product class. You need concept, UI, & product designers, working in tangent with leadership vision, to guide the hardware & software engineers to achieve amazing consumer products. And this is why Apple is now ahead. And so is Microsoft. Are you guys seriously going to let Microsoft win the market?

[kolboch]

Maybe Google is closer to general super intelligence and put more resources into that. Just kidding do not take me serious :D @Tritaru I wish so too, more competition is better products, and talking about apple closed ecosystems i guess it would not be different with AR at some point from them ehhh...

[gkiernozek]

I'll try to look up some contact to management from Google and see what we can do, this technology deserves better treatment for sure.

[chilton]

Google should OWN this space. The idea that Google doesn't have the resources to make this a competitor to Apple is hilarious. This is Google, not some indie software company. Android deserves better.

Consider that Vuforia's image tracker has been the gold standard for years, and considering that Google's image recognition system is supposedly the best in the world, why they released image tracking as a barely capable solution is just weird. Did they not look at the competition first? Is there no internal communication between groups in Google? This seems like something they solved years ago, but here we are.

Google had Google Glasses AND Project Tango. So why does this constantly feel like they're just now catching up?

[fredsa]

The general request to "go faster" is understood and constructive feedback is always appreciated.

Marking this issue as closed in order to keep open issues focused on specific actionable bug reports and feature requests.