Metaio

Metaio was a privately held Augmented Reality (AR) company that developed software technology and provided services for the creation of AR applications and experiences. The company was founded in 2003 in Munich, Germany, by Thomas Alt and Peter Meier. Metaio's technology was used in more than 1,000 applications for enterprise, marketing, retail, publishing and industrial cases by over 140,000 developers.

History

Metaio was originally a subsidiary of the German automation company Volkswagen before becoming an independent firm in 2005. The company's initial focus was on research and development for industrial AR applications, but it later expanded into consumer-oriented applications.

In 2014, Metaio launched the first publicly available cloud-based system for AR, called Metaio Cloud. This platform allowed developers to create and manage AR experiences that could be accessed from any device.

In May 2015, Metaio was acquired by Apple, which subsequently discontinued the company's products and services. The technology and expertise acquired from Metaio have since been used in the development of Apple's ARKit, a framework for creating AR experiences on iOS devices.

Technology

Metaio's technology was based on a proprietary AR engine that could recognize, track and augment 2D images, 3D objects, and barcodes. The engine was compatible with a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and smart glasses.

The company also developed Metaio Creator, a software tool that allowed non-programmers to create AR experiences by dragging and dropping digital content onto images or 3D objects. This tool was used in various industries, including retail, marketing, and publishing.

Impact

Metaio played a significant role in the development and popularization of AR technology. The company's software was used in a variety of applications, from interactive marketing campaigns to industrial maintenance guides. Metaio's acquisition by Apple and the subsequent development of ARKit have also contributed to the growth of the AR industry.

See also

• Augmented Reality
• ARKit
• Apple Inc.