| Original author(s) | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | |
| Initial release | June 5, 2014 |
| Development status | Active |
| Platform | Android |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Mobile computer visiontechnology platform |
| Tango |
Tango (formerly named Project Tango in-testing)
Tango (formerly named Project Tango in-testing) is an Augmented reality Computing platform, developed and authored by Google. It uses computer vision to enable mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, to detect their position relative to the world around them without using GPS or other external signals. This allows application developers to create user experiences that include indoor navigation, 3D mapping, physical space measurement, environmental recognition, augmented reality, and windows into a virtual world.
The first product to emerge from ATAP's Skunkworks group,[1] Tango was developed by a team led by computer scientist Johnny Lee, a core contributor to Microsoft's Kinect. In an interview in June 2015, Lee said, "We're developing the hardware and software technologies to help everything and everyone understand precisely where they are, anywhere."[2]
Google has produced two devices to demonstrate the Tango technology: the discontinued Peanut phone and the Yellowstone 7-inch tablet. More than 3,000 of these devices had been sold as of June 2015,[3] chiefly to researchers and software developers interested in building applications for the platform. In the summer of 2015, Qualcomm and Intel both announced that they are developing Tango reference devices as models for device manufacturers who use their mobile chipsets .[4][5]
At CES, in January 2016, Google announced a partnership with Lenovo to release a consumer smartphone during the summer of 2016 to feature Tango technology marketed at consumers, noting a less than $500 price-point and a small form factor below 6.5 inches. At the same time, both companies also announced an application incubator to get applications developed to be on the device on launch.
At Lenovo Tech World 2016, Lenovo launched the world's first consumer phone based on Tango, as well as releasing it as "Tango"
2016 is set to be a very big year for Google phones. The search giant just announced two new Pixel phones to compete with the Apple iPhone and Samsung's Galaxy models. But if you're in the market for a new phone this November with the latest Google tech, you may have a hard decision ahead.
Remember the Lenovo Phab2 Pro, the huge 6.4-inch phone with Google's Tango depth-sensing 3D camera system that scans the world around you, can play augmented reality games, help navigate indoors, or see how new furniture and appliances might fit in your home? It's coming next month, according to Google.
Update, November 1: It's here, but it may not ship until December. One more delay for the phone.
Though the phone was originally supposed to ship in the summer, and later got delayed to September and then a nebulous "fall," Clay Bavor, head of VR at Google, confirmed to CNET that the phone will go on sale this November. (Yes, that's the same month as Google's Pixel phones.) The Phab2 Pro should sell for $499 unlocked in the United States, equivalent to £345 or AU$672.
It's important to note that only the Google Pixel phones will be compatible with the Daydream VR headset, not the Phab2 Pro. (It doesn't have the required AMOLED screen to support smooth VR.) That means tech enthusiasts will have to choose between virtual reality and augmented reality if they buy a new Google phone next month.
That might not always be the case, though. "You can imagine in the future you won't have to make a choice, but that's a bit further out," said Bavor , hinting that a single phone might eventually support both the Tango and Daydream platforms.
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