Download the new free Unity AR Companion app
Unity has released the Unity AR Companion, a free Android and iOS app for capturing and editing 3D assets that can be used to create augmended reality applications within the Unity game engine.
The app, previously known as the Mars Companion, can be used for object capture with a free subscription to Unity, creating 3D models from source images of objects via photogrammetry
Users with paid subscriptions to Unity Mars, Unity’s AR authoring platform, also get environment capture, capturing 3D scans of the surrounding environment, plus reference video and camera paths.
Can be used for free for object capture
Users with free Personal subscriptions to Unity can use the Unity AR Companion as a photogrammetry tool, generating textured 3D models of objects from source photos captured on an iOS or Android device.
The models are generated in Unity itself, using Apple’s Object Capture API, so the functionality is only available if you’re running the Unity Editor on macOS.
Unity Mars subscribers get environment capture and more advanced AR authoring tools
However, the app is really designed to be used with Unity Mars, Unity’s augmented and mixed reality authoring platform, so some of the features require a paid subscription.
As well as object capture, Mars subscribers can use the app to capture entire environments, including both 3D scans and supporting data like video footage, camera paths, and still images for surface reference.
MARS subscribers also get more advanced AR authoring functionality, with users able to import and lay out 3D assets directly on their mobile device, and to add image-based markers or hotspots to an AR scene.
Pricing and system requirements
The Unity AR Companion app is available free for Android 7.0+, iOS 11.0+ and iPadOS 11.0+.
Unity Mars is compatible with Unity 2019.4+. Subscriptions cost $600/year. It can be used with both free Personal subscriptions to Unity and paid Plus and Pro subscriptions, which cost $399/year and $1,800/year.
The Unity Editor is comatible with Windows 7+, CentOS 7+ and Ubuntu 18.04/20.04 Linux, and macOS 10.13+.
Read more about the Unity AR Companion app on the Unity blog