Okay, so here’s the thing. I just stumbled into this quirky collaboration between Snap Inc.—yes, the Snapchat folks, and Niantic Spatial—those guys behind Pokémon Go. And honestly, it’s like they’re trying to sprinkle some futuristic magic all over my phone. Or maybe, no… wait, yeah—it’s like turning the world into a giant, shared AR playground. Kinda wild, right?
Snap’s been juggling social apps and funky Spectacles AR glasses for a while now. But now, by hitching a ride with Niantic, they’re aiming for this big city-scale positioning thing. Or something like that. Picture this: a bunch of AR devices, all chattering away to each other like best friends, making sure everyone sees the same digital thing at the same real spot. I can barely find my own keys most days, honestly.
Here’s what’s buzzing: Niantic’s got this nifty ‘Visual Positioning System’—VPS, if the geek in you needs a nickname. It’s been years in the making. The idea? Devices get to share a map, like passing notes under the table, letting everyone sync up in real time. Because, let’s admit it, regular old GPS is like using a butter knife to fix a circuit board. Totally not gonna cut it.
Now, Snap’s hopping onboard, tossing their AR quirks into Niantic’s mix. They showed off a concept vid—imagine city streets, boom, there’s an AR concert, or a surprise portal only you and your friends can see at the park. Magic, or just tech? I guess both.
Oh, and it’s not just a casual fling. Apparently, this is a “strategic multi-year partnership,” with Snap chucking some capital Niantic’s way. Hush-hush on the numbers, though.
And yet, it’s not just Snap taking the VR-enhanced plunge here. Niantic gets a goldmine of data from Snap’s 900-million-strong swarm of users, who now might be scanning parks and city squares just to unlock some nifty AR lenses. Real sneaky, collecting those spatial scans. Like treasure maps, but digital and everywhere, keeping their map fresh with a dash of user-created flavor.
Sure, Snap’s Spectacles are still figuring it all out—babies in the tech nursery—but with all those Snapchatters, the geospatial AR dataset could balloon faster than I can say “augmented reality.” This could be a big thing. Or maybe just another tech whim. Either way, it’s happening, and we’re all kinda along for the ride.
