All Things Digital reports that Qualcomm has announced that it will release an augmented reality software development kit (SDK) for iOS developers in July, making it easier for developers to integrate virtual content with real content such as images captured by cameras found on many portable devices. The company previously released a similar SDK for Android.
It's an interesting move for Qualcomm, which plans to release the iOS tools for free through an Austrian subsidiary. Wright acknowledged that Android was a more logical operating system, given the fact that its chips are used there.
"Android was a logical starting point because of developer momentum and Snapdragon penetration," Wright said. "Moving forward we will support additional operating systems."
Developers who have been using Qualcomm's tools to simplify development of augmented reality applications for Android are excited about the possibility of moving that functionality to iOS relatively easily.
Augmented reality applications are nothing new for iOS, with Apple having introduced support for the technology in iPhone OS 3.1 nearly two years ago and a number of applications such as Layar Reality Browser and Word Lens having embraced it, but Qualcomm's tools will likely make for easier cross-platform adoption that could increase developer interest.
