arkit

ARKit is Apple's augmented reality framework for iOS and iPadOS that enables developers to create AR experiences. Introduced in 2017 with iOS 11, ARKit uses the device camera, motion sensors, and computer vision to place and anchor virtual content in the real world. The framework provides world tracking, plane detection, image and object recognition, lighting estimation, and environmental understanding, allowing digital assets to interact with the physical environment in ways such as occlusion and parallax. On devices equipped with LiDAR scanners, ARKit can perform more accurate scene reconstruction and depth sensing, improving realism and stability.

ARKit is designed to work with various rendering and content creation tools. It can be used directly with SceneKit or SpriteKit and, more recently, with RealityKit for higher-level rendering and animation. It supports developers using Swift and Objective-C in Xcode, and integrates with ARKit's collaboration features for multi-user experiences introduced in later versions.

Since its release, ARKit has been updated annually, expanding its capabilities with improvements to tracking robustness, face and body tracking, persistent world maps, location-based anchors, and cross-device experiences. The framework has become central to Apple's augmented reality ecosystem, powering apps across gaming, education, design, and enterprise sectors.