Facebook’s augmented reality camera is evolving beyond selfie masks and randomly placed 3D objects to using location markers in the real world that trigger AR experiences in a precise location. Spotted today, Facebook confirms to TechCrunch that it’s testing the feature in closed beta with promotions for the upcoming Ready Player One and Wrinkle In Time films. And in April, it plans to add tracker-based AR to its AR Studio tool open to all developers.
The Facebook Camera feature’s new Ready Player One effect takes one of the movie’s posters and overlays a window in the virtual Oasis world. If you can’t find one of the actual posters, you can just use an image of a poster on your computer. Here’s a demo of what the experience looks like:
Using AR markers could let Facebook offer a much wider range of AR content that actually knows where it is in the real world. That could prevent awkward, glitchy moments when Facebook’s standard markerless AR misinterprets the shape of the spaces and surfaces around you. Snapchat doesn’t appear to have used markers in its AR lenses before.