So, Snap Inc., you know, the Snapchat folks with those funky Spectacles AR glasses—I mean, who even wears those? Anyway, they’ve teamed up with Niantic Spatial. Yeah, the Pokémon Go people. Apparently, they’re joining forces to crank up geospatial features in Snapchat and Spectacles. Sounds fancy, right? But hold on a sec—
You ever think about how AR stuff figures out where it is in a space? Like, it checks out the room and then somehow tracks itself. The magic of tech, seriously. But if we’re talking two devices trying to play nice? They gotta see the same map. It’s like that time I tried using two GPS systems on a road trip. Chaos.
Niantic’s been grinding away on their Visual Positioning System (VPS), trying to let these devices share a spatial map. GPS? Nah, too sketchy. VPS lets these gadgets know if they’re in the same place so they can sync up content like some high-tech jam session. Imagine playing a game in the park with mates, but all of you see the same in-game world—trippy!
So yeah, Niantic’s hopping on board with Snap to bring VPS to Snapchat and Spectacles. They dropped a snazzy concept video showing off city-sized AR dreams. Developers will be able to tie AR experiences to real-world spots with insane precision. I’m talking about virtual concerts in city squares or portals that pop open at random park benches. Imagine walking down the street, and bam! Surprise AR happenings.
This deal? It’s a “strategic multi-year partnership.” Fancy words. Snap’s throwing some cash at Niantic, but nobody’s saying how much. Sounds like a win-win though—Snap gets this killer positioning tech, and Niantic gets tons of new data to boss up their VPS.
The real kicker? Niantic wants users to do some legwork. Literally. To use certain AR lenses on Snapchat or Spectacles, you might have to do some scanning of the area. It’s like those video games where you gotta unlock levels. Ah, nostalgia. Anyway, those scans will make the VPS smarter and broader—global domination vibes, really.
Niantic’s been working this angle forever. Since those early days with Ingress and Pokémon Go, they’ve made it about using our data to boost spatial comprehension. Fun fact: they sold off their gaming division to go even harder on VPS. Allin on spatial gadgets, gotta respect that hustle.
And let’s not forget Snap’s Spectacles. Still pretty fresh and maybe not the hottest gadget out there, but with Snapchat’s 900 million (wow, right?) users? Niantic and Snap are already miles ahead, building what might just be the biggest geospatial AR playground ever.
So yeah, exciting stuff if you’re into AR or mapping the world—or if you just like seeing cool tech run amok in your neighborhood park. Wonder what’s next?
