Google, Apple face off over augmented reality technology

San Francisco

ALPHABET Inc's Google on Wednesday unveiled tools to make augmented reality apps for mobile devices using the Android operating system, setting up its latest showdown with Apple Inc's iPhone over next-generation smartphone features.

Phone-based augmented reality (AR), in which digital objects are superimposed onto the real world on screen, got a huge boost from the popularity of the Pokémon Go game. The game, launched in the US in July last year, sent players into city streets, offices, parks and restaurants to search for colourful animated characters.