ARKit vs ARCore: Building Augmented Reality Apps

Core Capabilities

Both platforms offer motion tracking, environmental understanding, and light estimation. They enable placing virtual objects in the real world.

Motion Tracking

ARKit generally has a slight edge in stability on newer iPhones due to LiDAR integration. ARCore performs impressively across a fragmented Android ecosystem.

Environmental Understanding

Both detect horizontal and vertical planes. Newer versions support depth maps (occlusion), allowing virtual objects to hide behind real ones.

Light Estimation

Crucial for realism. ARKit generates spherical harmonics for realistic reflections. ARCore provides environmental HDR lighting estimates.

Face Tracking

ARKit's TrueDepth camera access allows for incredibly precise face tracking (Animoji style). ARCore supports face meshes on standard cameras but with less fidelity.

Cloud Anchors

Google's Cloud Anchors allow multi-user experiences across iOS and Android. Users can view the same virtual object from different devices in real-time.

Cross-Platform Tools

Use Unity's AR Foundation. It wraps both ARKit and ARCore APIs, allowing you to write code once and deploy to both platforms.