More good Layar SDK news! We’ve recently released another update to the SDK as we continue to make it as easy as possible to embed your own Augmented Reality (AR) experiences into your own iOS and Android apps.

We’ve always put an emphasis on allowing you to customize your AR experience as much as possible to fit your brand and meet the needs of your users. With the latest update you can now take more control of your AR scenes than ever before. How? Event handlers!

The introduction of event handlers means you can have actions or POI updates triggered by certain events within your scene. This enables you to add more complex functionality to your experiences, including sequencing of videos and dynamic content without the need for an external server.

Here are the new event types you can use to custom-script your AR scene…

onLoad – Triggered when the object has been loaded successfully.
onClick – Triggered when the object has been clicked (similar behaviour as the POI action).
onPlaybackStart – Triggered when the video or audio object playback has started.
onPlaybackFinish – Triggered when the video or audio object playback has finished.

All of these events can trigger new actions, content updates (including adding or removing objects from the scene) or even a custom handler that can be reused for multiple objects and on different events.

This powerful new feature allows AR scenes to be even more engaging and interactive for the user in various ways. If you’re an existing SDK user, check your inbox for links to the latest version and check out the developer documentation page for more details.

If you’re interested in using the SDK, you can try it now for free! Have questions before you start? Let us know, or join our upcoming webinar at the end of the month.

Good news! We’ve recently updated the Layar SDK as we continue to make it as easy as possible to embed your own Augmented Reality (AR) experiences into your own iOS and Android apps.

Having the freedom to customize your AR experience to fit your brand and your users’ needs has always been a cornerstone of the Layar SDK, and with this latest update we aim to continue that tradition. So what’s new in the latest version?

Custom Location Provider
You no longer need to rely solely on the built-in GPS of the user’s device to get location data. Now you can hook into any location provider that you choose. For example, you can use iBeacons to create a more accurate location-based AR experience when indoors.

A note to developers: the Layar SDK simply allows for a custom location provider but does not include any alternative providers itself, that part is up to you!

More Custom Callbacks
We’ve added more callbacks that give you more control over the look-and-feel of your experience. For Geo Layers, you can now opt to remove the compass and the messages shown at the top which usually pertain to the number of results found nearby.

These changes make it even easier to create your own customized AR experience, whether that means creating a custom look or using advanced custom location providers to make a more engaging experience.

If you’re an existing SDK user, check your inbox for instructions on updating your SDK. Or if you’re interested in using the SDK, you can try it now for free!

If you’re reading this, you’ve already discovered one of three big things we’ve launched today at Layar - our new website! Today, we are also very proud to introduce both an entirely redesigned Layar App and a brand new Layar logo.

This marks the beginning of a new era for Layar as we continue to help bridge the gap between print and digital. Based on our insights as thought leaders in AR, we felt now was the time to make some big changes and take the next step forward. Here’s what’s new!

The redesigned Layar App, the world’s most popular mobile AR app with over 33 million downloads, now features a sleek design and new features that make the user experience for AR easier and more friendly. With the new Recent Content feature, users can revisit a handy list of previously viewed AR content whenever they want - something no other AR app offers.

The new Layar logo, which does away with the previous logo’s cloud design, is cleaner, more recognizable and claims the company’s position as the undisputed leader in augmented reality. The logo is an improvement both as a stand-alone brand and as a call-to-action in print for readers.

A completely redesigned and rethought website completes the launch, creating a one-stop portal for information on augmented reality, interactive print and Layar. You’re looking at it right now! The website shows, tells, shares and lets everyone experience what AR can do for businesses and consumers. Start exploring now!

“The market for AR and interactive print has really begun to develop itself, and it is clear that Layar is fueling the ecosystem at the vanguard of this development,” says Layar CEO Quintin Schevernels.

Following the launch of the self-service Layar Creator in June of last year, we’ve seen promising month-over-month growth. Over 55,000 publishers currently use the do-it-yourself Layar Creator to add interactive digital content to the printed page. More than 200,000 interactive pages have already been published.

The Layar App continues to see more than 1 million downloads each month, and campaign engagement has reached as high as 45% among readers. Of those that use Layar to scan a print page, and astonishing 87% interact with the content on that page.

“In the next 12 to 18 months, we expect to see further acceleration in the amount of magazines, newspapers, brands and industries embracing AR and making it a part of their content and marketing strategies,” add Schevernels. “With our technology, products, knowledge and expertise, we believe that we will play a crucial role in this growth.”

AR is no longer a thing of the future, it is here now and it is real!

Download the new Layar App for iOS and Android in the App Store and Google Play Store today!

In April, with the release of Layar 7.2.2, we included language support for Dutch, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. Today, with the release of 7.2.3, we’ve added another language to Layar - and it’s a big one!

Chinese has come to the Layar App! Check out some of the screenshots below.

Now users in China will be able to read the Layar App’s menus and help-text in Simplified Chinese characters, making for a better user experience.

This makes it easier for publishers in China to create a seamless and engaging experience for their customers. Publishers could already tailor their interactive print content into the language of their choice, and now the Layar App itself can do the same.

Layar 7.2.3 is available now in the App Store and Google Play Store.

It’s no secret that interactive print is exploding across the globe.

From real estate agencies in Australia, to big brands and publishers in Canada and the United States, to the biggest publications in France and the Netherlands, and even a boom in downloads of the Layar App in Saudi Arabia – Layar is a truly worldwide company. We’ve even taken it upon ourselves to make sure content is distributed across dozens of servers worldwide for greater speed.

As the international market for interactive print emerges, it’s time for us to take the next step in providing the best possible user experience to as many people as possible. Available today for iOS and Android, version 7.2.2 of the Layar App  includes support for the following languages:

Combined with English, these languages make up a large portion of Layar users around the globe, but this just the beginning. To provide the best experience to more users, we will add more languages based on usage and demand over time.

The inclusion of native language support within the Layar App makes it easier for publishers to create seamless and engaging experiences for their readers. Publishers could already tailor their interactive print content into the language of their choice, and now the Layar App itself follows suit to provide an immersive experience in a user’s native language. It’s simply a better all-around experience for users.

Want your language supported in the Layar App? Let us know in the comments section which one we should do next!