TwittARound is an impressive augmented reality-based Twitter application for the iPhone that takes a very approach to mobilizing the popular social network. When the app is launched, the iPhone 3GS’ camera lens opens enabling you to see whatever happens to be around you. Then, the icons of Twitter users nearby are overlaid on top of the camera imagery, with distances to each, and all of their Tweets posted below.
TwittARound uses the new iPhone’s compass in order to orient itself so that even if you move around, the app will automatically update to show Twitter users found in the new direction. It’s very similar to the augmented reality friend finder from Chris Hughes I mentioned the other day. Unfortunately, Apple isn’t terribly accepting of the augmented reality industry at the moment. By accessing the camera hardware, TwittARound moves beyond the limits of the iPhone SDK. By breaching the user agreement it’s unlikely this great looking app will end up in the App Store anytime soon.
At the beginning of July, I posted this patent application from Apple that hints at plans at its own augmented reality future. Even though many developers have been calling for Apple to enabled a live video API, I continue to wonder if Apple will crack if it already has something up its sleeve.
