【Landlady’s Loose Legs】

When Apple teased the latest version of its mobile software platform earlier this week at its WWDC event,Landlady’s Loose Legs it confirmed one of our biggest predictions for the company's direction going forward: iOS 11 will come with a new focus on augmented reality.

Apple's making a push to get everyone involved in its AR plans with ARKit, a new platform that will look to give the development community a toolkit to foster the growth of apps focused on the new functionality.

Thing is, the new AR functions won't be available on every single Apple device with a screen. iOS 11 won't be supported by iPhone 5 and below, so anyone still holding on to their 2012 tech won't be upgrading their five year old phone anyway. But according to the ARKit developers page, even some devices that can handle the upgrade to 11 could still be left out in the lurch, stuck in just our standard version of reality.

SEE ALSO: The 12 best iOS 11 features you haven't heard about yet

The ARKit platform is only available on devices with Apple's A9 and A10 processors -- and presumably, the A11 chip expected in the iPhone 8. That means that iOS devices with less powerful processors, most made before 2015 like the iPhone 6, could have some trouble running the new AR apps built using the platform.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

This doesn't necessarily mean the new apps won't work at allon the older phones, as other publications have trumpeted -- they might just be slowed down a bit. Some language in the ARKit guidelines discusses the distinctions between devices with A9 chips and "other devices" still supported by the platform, suggesting that the apps will work on older iPhones and iPads.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

We spoke to some app developers familiar with iOS to clarify exactly what that language could mean. They said that it sounds like all iOS 11 compatible devices will be able to run the apps, but the experience will be worse. One developer told us it could be up to Apple. "If Apple limits a framework to specific architectures," they said, "then it can only be run on those [more advanced processors]. Usually it's due to hardware limitations."

Attempts to reach Apple for clarification weren't answered at press time, so we don't know for sure.

If you're not sold on the idea of Apple's AR, just head to Twitter to check out the videos being posted left and right by developers toying around with the closed beta. They're only just starting to test out the software's capabilities, but the results are pretty impressive.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Will AR drive you to upgrade from that beat up iPhone 6 you're still lugging around? You'll still probably be able to get in on at least some of the fun -- but for the best AR experience, you're going to need the newest, most powerful processor available.

---

Featured Video For You

---

A new way to take selfies — and six other features the iPhone 8 might have

---

Topics Apple Augmented Reality iOS iPhone

• Entertainment
• Science
• Deals
• Shopping
• Games
• Tech
• Social Good
• Digital Culture

• JD Vance calls dating apps 'destructive'
• Literary Fisticuffs: When Book Parties Came to Blows
• Searching for Derek Walcott
• 'Quordle' today: See each 'Quordle' answer and hints for November 9, 2023
• Miami Heat vs. Golden State Warriors 2025 livestream: Watch NBA online
• Az4angela reflects on her viral Bath & Body Works candle rant ten years later
• 'Grand Theft Auto 6' trailer reveal set for December
• ChatGPT was down. What we know about the major outage.
• The Portable Workstation: Dell XPS 13 + 32 UltraSharp 4K Monitor
• Now: A Poem for Robert Silvers

• That debate in brief: Trump ducks, dodges and threatens America
• This eagle stuck in a car grille, but okay, is a metaphor for America during this election
• The 'twist' in Ariana Grande's new music video is really dividing people
• President Obama slams Trump for his 'demeaning' comments about women
• Muslims throw Trumps' answer back in his face in the most clever way
• Andromeda galaxy will deliver a 'glancing blow' to our Milky Way
• Instagram's new donation sticker will make it easy to give money to charities
• MGM launches Epix Now, a new streaming service filled with originals
• Jeff Bezos says National Enquirer threatened to reveal his nude photos
• The independent workforce is bigger than anyone thought

• We'll always, er, sorta, have the Paris Climate Agreement
• How to watch FSU vs. Miami football without cable: kickoff time, streaming deals, and more
• Sky Burial: How My First Date in Forty Years Ended in Disaster
• Air fryer ham and cheese biscuits are a simple, kid
• Best pizza oven deal: Save $150 on Chefman Indoor Pizza Oven
• High Fade: Bryan Washington on the Intimacy of a Haircut
• Literary Fisticuffs: When Book Parties Came to Blows
• ChatGPT was down. What we know about the major outage.
• Best baby care deal: Spend $100 on diapers at Target, get a $30 gift card
• Donald Trump will run for president again in 2024, and the internet isn't thrilled

• The Best Sports Video Game of All Time
• This Oxford Comma Is for You, the Working Man
• High Fade: Bryan Washington on the Intimacy of a Haircut
• Pornhub midterms traffic shows changes in key states
• Apple, Tesla, Spotify: The tech announcements that never happened in 2024
• Fake verified posts on Twitter are getting way more serious
• This Oxford Comma Is for You, the Working Man
• The Poetry of Pop: Nine Poets on Their Favorite Song Lyrics
• VidCon 2025: Creators share their mistakes and lessons learned
• How to see your report history on Instagram