LinkBud, the latest offering from Niantic, will open a world of opportunities for AR-powered immersive audio experiences while keeping you connected with the real world.
In 2016, Niantic flipped the world of mobile gaming upside down with their first-of-its-kind AR mobile app Pokémon GO. As soon as the game was launched, it became a global sensation and got the fans hooked. Even to date, it has a vast, dedicated fan base. But there is more in Niantic’s repertoire when it comes to AR games and geocaching. Long before Pokémon GO, the leading game development company launched a sci-fi AR game titled Ingress Prime. The game used Google Maps and OpenStreetMap to lead players into a citywide geocaching game where they had to capture flags around the town.
While Ingress Prime could not reach the popularity of Pokémon GO, it is now expected to become a worldwide craze following the latest update. That’s right, the AR experience is getting a major update thanks to the highly anticipated partnership between Niantic and Sony. As the two companies team up, they will strive towards blending Sony’s latest audio hardware with Niantic’s real-world AR technology. The outcome will be a wireless headphone being known as LinkBuds. The developers state that this device will immerse the users more into the game that uses both the virtual and the real world as its playing field.
As per reports, LinkBuds will have an odd donut-like shape that will enable the headset to create a unique audio experience for the players. Unlike the available VR headsets, this device will not shut out the sounds from the real world completely; rather it uses external sounds to create a more interesting audio experience. The unique design of LinkBuds makes the headset a perfect device for immersing the users in any type of augmented reality experience, including AR mobile games. Although it might sound weird, you will not have to take off the LinkBuds headsets unless it needs to be charged or you are going to call it a day and hit the sack.
Niantic recently uploaded a video on YouTube announcing the first look of LinkBuds. In this video, Niantic’s Director of Product Marketing Archit Bhargava is seen talking about the latest device. Bhargava states that when talking about augmented reality, people usually think of images or filters being laid over the real world. This is certainly going to be a major part of the upcoming future. However, most people, at least for now, do not consider audio experience as part of AR experience. LinkBud will potentially change that worldview, and the future AR experiences will be more immersive thanks to this innovative technology.
What’s even more interesting is that the companies, through this partnership, will play an instrumental role in boosting new development efforts in the field of AR gaming. And fans are eagerly waiting for the outcomes it will bring in AR mobile games like Pokémon GO, Ingress Prime, and Pikmon Bloom.
