Qualcomm has put out a beta version of its Augmented Reality (AR) Extension for Unity Technologies' game development tool, which will allow developers to combine computer-generated content and the real world in games for Android-based products, the company said on Wednesday.
The AR Extension for Unity is part of Qualcomm’s augmented reality platform, which was first announced in June and is based on technology Qualcomm acquired from Austrian company Imagination Computer Services. The platform also includes the previously released AR SDK (Software Development Kit) for Android, which is available for Linux, Mac and Windows.
Both the extension and the development kit are still in the beta phase, and are available for download from Qualcomm’s developer portal.
By integrating with an existing development tool, Qualcomm hopes to accelerate developer adoption. The Unity game development tool and the necessary Android add-on can be purchased from the company's website for a total cost of US$3,000. It can be used to develop games for the web, iPhone, iPad, PC, Mac, Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as well as Android.
Like many others, Qualcomm is organizing a contest to attract developer interest. The contest will award the winner US$125,000. On Nov. 15, Qualcomm plans to open a site for submission of contest entries. The winners will be announced in February next year.
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