Apple Launches Cool AR iPhone and iPad App Ahead of For All Mankind Season 2

Next Friday, Apple TV Plus unique For All Mankind returns for season 2 on the streaming service, and ahead of that, Apple has launched a new AR app for iOS gadgets that tells a narrative set within the present’s universe.

For All Mankind: Time Capsule helps you to rummage via a field of keepsakes that belong to a brand new younger character within the present, Danny Stevens (played by Casey W Johnson), who’s simply skilled a break-up. The objects within the field collectively inform a narrative that explores the lives of different characters within the present, with appearances from a number of actors within the series. Time Capsule even options in-universe newscasts filmed particularly for the app.

What it quantities to appears like a first-person story recreation, one that may remind you of one thing like Gone Home or Firewatch. You look at objects and have shards of story delivered to you by AR props and in-app media. The app could be downloaded in the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand now, with different territories getting it later this month – and iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPad Pro customers even get to take pleasure in two unique scenes of the story that use the LiDAR scanner to venture images on to a wall.

Take a look below:

Filling within the gaps

For All Mankind is about an alternate history where the area race by no means ended – this app fills in a number of the blanks between seasons 1 and a pair of, which are set a decade aside. That’s mirrored in a number of the ’80s paraphernalia found within the app, like a VHS participant, a mixture tape that includes music from Earth, Wind and Fire and even an Apple II computer.

The app was made in collaboration with the writers on the present – and actually demonstrates how the intersection of Apple’s technology and streaming content can present mutual advantages.

We requested producer Ben McGinnis and Ronald D Moore if the needs of this app required the writers to flesh out the show’s alternate history in more detail than they in any other case may have.

“I think that’s one thing we have been excited about, as a result of this story takes place in 1980, a specific moment in time in our world between seasons, and we wished to get across a lot of hints and Easter Eggs about what is going on on in our world at massive,” McGinnis says. “Just by way of its alt historical past, but also particularly with the characters of the Stevens, since these are gadgets from their house.”

A lot of the narrative info needed to make the app existed anyway, merely from the work that went into constructing the background of the present’s setting. It also allowed the writers to tease plot factors that will play a key position in season 2 – just like the United States’ escalating Cold War with the Soviets, and the way that results in extreme tensions on the moon.

“We also had numerous this materials by way of the alternate history – just like the political and timeline of it – we already had, however we did not have methods of actually becoming it in to the on-air tv present,” Moore tells us. “So it was actually an awesome opportunity, as a result of we might already done numerous the thought, and numerous the plotting internally about occasions that would’ve occurred, issues that would’ve modified, tech that would’ve gone in another way.

“It’s implied or within the background of the tv series, but the AR potential gave the viewer an opportunity to really see it for the primary time, and actually play with it, and actually look around, and see it in a richer format than what we may ever do within the series.”

The For All Mankind: Time Capsule app is available now, and For All Mankind returns for season 2 beginning February 19 on Apple TV Plus.