— Major New Release to Vuforia SDK Brings New Levels of Interactivity to Mobile Experiences; Toy Recognition Beta Also Available for Developers—
SAN DIEGO — May 20, 2014— Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced that Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., will release a major update to the Qualcomm® Vuforia™ mobile vision software platform in the coming weeks. The Vuforia 3.0 SDK will feature Smart Terrain™, a new 3D reconstruction capability that brings a new level of interactivity to augmented reality (AR) experiences. Additionally, Qualcomm announced a major enhancement to Vuforia object recognition technology that will soon be available to select developers in a beta program.
Qualcomm first demonstrated this type of technology on mobile by unveiling Smart Terrain technology with a depth-aware camera at the Qualcomm® Uplinq™ conference in September 2013. The Vuforia 3.0 SDK will bring Smart Terrain to existing smartphone and tablet devices and will utilize existing cameras. Apps powered by Smart Terrain can enable users to create their own play space where game characters interact with the physical world in ways not experienced before; characters can navigate around, collide with and jump over objects in the user’s environment. This technology represents a major breakthrough for AR experiences, bringing a new level of interactivity and authenticity to users.
Also announced today, McDonald’s is the first global brand to use the Smart Terrain capability in a commercial application. The McDonald’s GOL! Mobile App is a new virtual trick-shot challenge soccer game powered by the Vuforia platform and developed by Trigger and DDB Chicago that enables digital gameplay within real-world environments. “Our digital vision at McDonald’s is to bring an entirely new level of everyday convenience and fun to the world, and this Vuforia app is just one example of how we are bringing fun to our customers’ lives,” said Atif Rafiq, McDonald’s Chief Digital Officer. McDonald’s has announced that the app will be available worldwide on iOS and Android on May 26.
“Vuforia 3.0 and Smart Terrain represent a significant step forward in vision technology and the creative potential for AR experiences. Smart Terrain gives today’s devices a new sense of awareness of the environment, gives users a completely new way to build game worlds, and gives brands an eye-catching way to add digital interactivity to physical products,” said Jay Wright, vice president of product management for Vuforia. “This release comes at a time when the award-winning Vuforia platform is achieving noteworthy global traction, recently surpassing the milestone of more than 100,000 registered developers and more than 9,000 apps distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play.”
In addition, Vuforia object recognition technology has been significantly enhanced to support toys including vehicles and action figures. This capability will address the growing need of the toy industry to develop new play interactions that combine mobile devices with physical toys. With Vuforia toy recognition, toy manufacturers and game developers can build a variety of new experiences. For example, kids could activate new app functionality with the purchase of a new toy, teleport a physical toy into a game experience, or experience imaginative play around the toy using AR. Toy recognition will soon be available for select developers in a beta program. Developers can request to participate in the beta program at the Vuforia developer website.
Vuforia is a mobile vision platform that enables apps to see and connect the physical world with digital experiences that demand attention, drive engagement, and deliver value. The platform leverages Qualcomm’s mobile technology leadership and provides best-in-class augmented reality experiences. Vuforia is supported by a global ecosystem of more than 100,000 registered developers in 130 countries and has powered more than 9,000 apps for iOS and Android devices. Additional information is available at www.vuforia.com.
About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 25 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
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Qualcomm Vuforia is a product of Qualcomm Connected Experiences, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. Qualcomm and Vuforia are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated, registered in the United States and other countries. Smart Terrain and Uplinq are trademarks of Qualcomm Incorporated. All Qualcomm Incorporated trademarks are used with permission. Other product and brand names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Qualcomm Contacts:
Keri Danielski, Qualcomm Interactive Platforms
Phone: 1-858-845-2453
Email: qis-pr@qualcomm.com
Emily Kilpatrick, Corporate Communications
Phone: 1-858-845-5959
Email: corpcomm@qualcomm.com
Warren Kneeshaw, Investor Relations
Phone: 1-858-658-4813
Email: ir@qualcomm.com
