Apple

Until June 2017, Apple only talked about the potential of AR, but now it not only shows its power, but is opening its platform to the massive iOS developer’s community. In the next few months, we should see more and more AR apps or AR-ready apps that will change the way we consume and create a design.

Apple didn’t present a 3D creation tool, yet. Though, based on its latest releases, like Clips, and it’s iTunes productions, like ‘Planet of Apps,’ it’s a matter of time until Apple will introduce to its users a way to create in 3D or consume digital 3D content.

ARKit Demonstration (Apple Keynote June 2017)

Google

The first footprint in 3D for Google was back in 2006 with the acquisition of SketchUp. Back then, Google wanted to enrich its Maps with 3D buildings, and SketchUp was perfect for that job. Since then, Google was highly involved in the 3D design space with the acquisition of ‘TiltBrush’, a 3D sketching app for VR, and unique experiences tailored to its hardware, like the mobile VR headset ‘Daydream’. Recently, Google launched a new 3D design tool for VR named ‘Blocks’ to allow more people to create 3D (low-poly) content.

Google’s goal is to allow people to create ‘stuff’ so they can enrich their future VR or AR environment.

Google Blocks (via Google VR)

Facebook

While being pretty new to the 3D design space, Facebook already holds many achievements in the form of launching its own VR hardware, Oculus; a consumer facing ‘AR Studio’; Quill and Medium — Two VR 3D design tools; and introduced this year a new AR platform for developers with advanced AR technology.

Facebook anticipates that AR will have a similar effect on 3D design space like the one the iPhone and Instagram had on photography and Photoshop. That’s why it’s creating a platform where people would be able to create and consume 3D content with ease, as it did in the past with camera masks, stickers and more.

Facebook F8 — Mark Zuckerberg demonstrates ’Camera’ advanced AR features

Microsoft

Microsoft was one of the firsts to recognize the potential of AR with their hardware — ‘HoloLens.’ Microsoft introduced HoloLens at the beginning of 2015 and showed its vision for the future of AR.

In Microsoft’s vision, anyone can open their studio, build anything in 3D and even print it out in 3D. HoloLens as hardware is very impressive, although a bit limited in what you can do right now. That said, a vision where we wear glasses and operates with our hand to create and design is something we all looking forward to seeing and experiencing.

Along with its efforts in AR, Microsoft has also released Microsoft Paint 3D — a modern version of its legacy MS Paint, to allow more people to engage with 3D design and democratizing it.