Products
Layar is not just an application. Its an Augmented Reality content delivery platform which includes the Layar Reality Browser and several platform services.The Browser
Most people know Layar for its browser. The Layar Reality Browser shows what is around you by displaying real time digital information on top of the real world as seen through the camera of your mobile phone. This technology is called Augmented Reality (AR).
Through the Layar reality browser, and while looking around, one can find houses for sale or interesting facts about the church you’re standing in front of, but also experience new types of 3D art, see how this place used to look like hundreds of years ago or walk through your future neighborhood in 3D. Layar works by using the mobile phone’s camera, compass and GPS data to identify the user’s location and field of view. Based on these geographical coordinates, data is being retrieved from a content database and overlaid over the camera view, in so-called ‘layers’.
Over 1100 layers are available today world wide. Recently premium layers have been introduced ensuring investment in more valuable content is enabled.
Our latest addition to the browser is Layar Stream. It will help search and discovery in the Augmented Reality nearby. The Layar Stream is viewable without having to hold the phone up and moving it around. This enables easy discovery of AR objects in everyday situations. When selecting a specific object the layer opens and can be seen in the Augmented Reality view.
Platform services
The platform is where everybody can create their own Augmented Reality experiences. Over 1100 layers are published with more than 3000 in development. These layers are developed by the global community of 5000 Layar publishers, producers, leading brands and agencies.
The services offered include an API through which the AR experiences are created. The Layar API supports services for:
- Dynamic and Live data
- Authentication
- 3D, texture animation
- Rich Interaction
- Indexing and search
To help publishers monetize their content paid layers are supported. Similar to paid applications, layers can be sold for a nominal fee. This service was launched with Paypal and works in the Unites States, Canada, Australia and the UK. New payment providers and countries are added regularly.
Support and development for layer publishers is offered in the form layer statistics, the developers wiki, developer newsgroups and a support desk. Also, to enable rapid development, open source layer development tools have been created by the developer community. Very active publishers work together in the Layar Partner network to share knowledge, leads and help promote the platform.
A key advantage for publishers is the ability to develop great AR experiences leveraging these platform services along with the ability to publish the content to different platforms, devices and languages.
Last edited: august 2010
