ARKit Roundup: Tesla Customization, Spatial Audio Recording, and Friend Locator [Updated]

ARKit demos have been popular over the summer, showcasing the features that iOS 11 users will gain on their iPhones once the new software update rolls out worldwide later in September. Today we've rounded up some of the latest tech demos of the software development kit, which you can check out below.

In the first ARKit demo, augmented reality and user experience designer Jelmer Verhoog has created an app that lets users design and customize a Tesla Model 3 car. This extends to the wheels, paint, and interior of the vehicle, and even includes driving controls. While Verhoog's demo is focused on the Model 3, it's easy to imagine other carmakers using Apple's ARKit to help customers when they're on the hunt for a new vehicle.


The next demo, by Zach Lieberman, shows off an interesting use of augmented reality and ARKit -- it allows users to record audio through the app, which is then visually represented by waveforms in an AR space. To play back the audio, users can physically move through it, with the ability to listen to the recorded audio both forwards and backwards. Check out the video below with audio to see Lieberman's demo in action.

An app called "Neon" was showcased recently, and it allows friends to find one another in the midst of overcrowded festivals. The app's Twitter page says it'll be out "this fall," and it appears to use its own social network to add close friends, find them through their own iPhones, and present their location to users as augmented reality chevrons that are easy to track down.


Augmented reality games will likely be a big part of the ARKit app market after the launch of iOS 11, and the developer of the new game Euclidean Lands is already working on an AR version of the puzzler. Since the iOS game's puzzles already float in space within the regular app, the developer has simply translated that concept into the real world with its ARKit demo, allowing players to walk around the puzzle, move characters, and rotate blocks.

Measuring apps continue to be consistently popular in the ARKit demo space, with a new app called MeasureKit having confirmed its launch for later in September alongside iOS 11. MeasureKit includes a bunch of detailed tools, including the ability to measure angles, make sure objects are hanging at the same level, and automatically detect someone's height. Watch a video of MeasureKit on the app's Twitter page here.

For more ARKit demos and roundups, check out our previous coverage in the articles below:

- Major App Developers Show Off ARKit Apps Ahead of iOS 11 Launch
- Latest ARKit Demos Include Sculpting, Food Ordering, Virtual Pets and Zombies
- Latest ARKit Demo Showcases Virtual Cosmetics Boutique
- Latest ARKit Demo Showcases Virtual Drawing
- Apple's ARKit Used to Recreate Classic A-ha 'Take On Me' Video
- ARKit Roundup: Turn-by-Turn Directions, Precise Room Measurements, and Pac-Man

Update: Tenor and digital studio Dift have partnered to create an ARKit-enabled GIF app, where users can place live GIFs in the real world.


Tenor said that its new SDK "is the first to let developers using Apple’s ARKit insert GIFs into AR experiences on iOS devices."

Tag: ARKit
Related Forum: iOS 11

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
Tim Cook WWDC 2018

Report: Tim Cook to Step Down as Apple CEO 'as Soon as Next Year'

Saturday November 15, 2025 2:40 pm PST by
Apple is preparing for Tim Cook to step down as CEO of the company "as soon as next year," according to the Financial Times. The company's board of directors and senior executives "recently intensified preparations for Cook to hand over the reins," the report said. While the report said that Apple is unlikely to name a new CEO before its next earnings report in late January, it went on to ...
iPhone Pocket Short

iPhone Pocket Now Available to Order, But Already Selling Out

Friday November 14, 2025 6:20 am PST by
Apple recently teamed up with Japanese fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE to create the iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition knitted accessory designed to carry an iPhone. iPhone Pocket is available to order on Apple's online store starting today, in the United States, France, China, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and the United Kingdom. However, it is already completely sold out in the United...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's 2026 Mac Plans

Friday November 14, 2025 3:23 pm PST by
Most of Apple's Macs are slated to get M5 chips across 2026, and there's a possibility we'll even see the first M6 chips toward the end of the year. Updates are planned for everything from the MacBook Air to the Mac Studio. MacBook Air (Early 2026) The MacBook Air will be one of the first Macs to get a 2026 refresh, with an update planned for the first few months of the year. The MacBook...
best early black friday deals

Best Black Friday Apple Deals Live Now - Save on AirPods, iPads, and Apple Watches

Saturday November 15, 2025 1:45 pm PST by
We're officially in the month of Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When ...
tvOS 26 Profiles

tvOS 26.2 Adds a Useful New Feature to Your Apple TV

Friday November 14, 2025 10:02 am PST by
Starting with the upcoming tvOS 26.2 update, currently in beta, additional profiles created on the Apple TV no longer require their own Apple Account. In the Settings app on the Apple TV, under Profiles and Accounts, anyone can create a new profile by simply entering a name and indicating whether the profile is for a kid. The profile will be associated with the primary user's Apple Account,...
walmart new ornametns

Walmart Black Friday Deals Begin Today With Low Prices on Headphones, TVs, and More

Friday November 14, 2025 7:55 am PST by
Walmart's Black Friday sale has officially kicked off today, with an online shopping event that's also seeing some matching deals in retail locations. There are quite a few major discounts in this sale, including savings on headphones, TVs, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Walmart. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.2 Beta 3

Monday November 17, 2025 3:20 pm PST by
Apple provided developers with the third beta of an upcoming iOS 26.2 update, and there are still new features that are being added with each beta that we get. We've rounded up all of the changes that Apple made in beta 3. AirDrop Apple added new AirDrop functionality, providing a way for two people to share files temporarily without having to add one another as contacts. iOS 26.2...

Top Rated Comments

MartinAppleGuy Avatar
107 months ago
God I really hope the Tesla Model 3 one comes out. Only way us on the UK will get to drive it before 2019 haha
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Shlooky Avatar
107 months ago
The possibilities are endless!! I am amazed at the concepts that are being designed so far.

Good work!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MRrainer Avatar
107 months ago
That car demo... wow.
We've seen the future of online-shopping.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Art Mark Avatar
107 months ago
The audio in space is really intriguing. Not that I know what exactly to do with it - but I hadn't thought of stuff like that at all.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unami Avatar
107 months ago
wow, the reflections on the tesla look great. and the "neon" app is one of the few examples so far (besides measurekit), that seem to make the awkward experience of up holding your phone as a lens for reality worth it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Blacknight10s Avatar
107 months ago
('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/07/arkit-roundup-tesla-friend-locator/')


ARKit demos have been popular over the summer, showcasing the features that iOS 11 users will gain on their iPhones once the new software update rolls out worldwide later in September ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/06/apple-ios-11-tips-app/'). Today we've rounded up some of the latest tech demos of the software development kit, which you can check out below.

In the first ARKit demo, augmented reality and user experience designer Jelmer Verhoog ('https://twitter.com/jelmerverhoog') has created an app that lets users design and customize a Tesla Model 3 car. This extends to the wheels, paint, and interior of the vehicle, and even includes driving controls. While Verhoog's demo is focused on the Model 3, it's easy to imagine other carmakers using Apple's ARKit to help customers when they're on the hunt for a new vehicle.



The next demo, by Zach Lieberman ('https://twitter.com/zachlieberman'), shows off an interesting use of augmented reality and ARKit -- it allows users to record audio through the app, which is then visually represented by waveforms in an AR space. To play back the audio, users can physically move through it, with the ability to listen to the recorded audio both forwards and backwards. Check out the video below with audio to see Lieberman's demo in action.



An app called "Neon ('https://twitter.com/neonapp')" was showcased recently, and it allows friends to find one another in the midst of overcrowded festivals. The app's Twitter page says it'll be out "this fall," and it appears to use its own social network to add close friends, find them through their own iPhones, and present their location to users as augmented reality chevrons that are easy to track down.



Augmented reality games will likely be a big part of the ARKit app market after the launch of iOS 11, and the developer of the new game Euclidean Lands ('http://appshopper.com/games/euclidean-lands') is already working on an AR version of the puzzler. Since the iOS game's puzzles already float in space within the regular app, the developer has simply translated that concept into the real world with its ARKit demo, allowing players to walk around the puzzle, move characters, and rotate blocks.



Measuring apps continue to be consistently popular in the ARKit demo space, with a new app called MeasureKit ('https://twitter.com/MeasureKit') having confirmed its launch for later in September alongside iOS 11. MeasureKit includes a bunch of detailed tools, including the ability to measure angles, make sure objects are hanging at the same level, and automatically detect someone's height. Watch a video of MeasureKit on the app's Twitter page here ('https://twitter.com/ARKitweekly/status/905747033067270144').

For more ARKit demos and roundups, check out our previous coverage in the articles below:

- Major App Developers Show Off ARKit Apps Ahead of iOS 11 Launch ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/29/big-companies-show-off-arkit-apps/')
- Latest ARKit Demos Include Sculpting, Food Ordering, Virtual Pets and Zombies ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/28/arkit-sculpting-food-virtual-pets-zombies/')
- Latest ARKit Demo Showcases Virtual Cosmetics Boutique ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/23/latest-arkit-demo-shows-virtual-cosmetics-boutique/')
- Latest ARKit Demo Showcases Virtual Drawing ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/08/09/latest-arkit-demo-showcases-virtual-drawing/')
- Apple's ARKit Used to Recreate Classic A-ha 'Take On Me' Video ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/07/26/apple-arkit-aha-take-on-me-video/')
- ARKit Roundup: Turn-by-Turn Directions, Precise Room Measurements, and Pac-Man ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/07/21/arkit-roundup-directions-pac-man/')

Article Link: ARKit Roundup: Tesla Customization, Spatial Audio Recording, and Friend Locator ('https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/07/arkit-roundup-tesla-friend-locator/')
[doublepost=1504801137][/doublepost]At first I thought magic leap would be the leader in Mixed Reality/AR (or even Microsoft with Hololens), but the fact apple Introduced ARkit it looks like this could be huge and can leverage these apps for future glasses/headsets

Follow @mixed_reality_hub on instagram for updates :)
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)