Augmented reality (AR) arrived on our handhelds with a soft thud when smartphones were still new. Early AR implementations were interesting yet notoriously buggy. This led to many writing the technology off as a gimmick rather than a serious tool for work and play.

Fast-forward to June 2017, when Apple announced ARKit, with significant changes. AR is no longer a gimmick but a powerful tool that looks and feels natural.

Let's look at what ARKit is and then move on to our favorite examples of the best AR apps currently available on the iPhone's App Store.

What Is ARKit and Which Devices Support It?

AR stands for Augmented Reality, which in simple terms, is a 3D environment created by combining real-life elements and virtual content. You can add virtual content to the real world around you for a stunning scenario.

There are many applications of AR in the real world that you can check out.

ARKit is Apple's AR platform on iOS devices. It allows app developers to integrate AR into their apps. If you're a user, it doesn't have much to do with you, except knowing that ARKit is why fantastic AR apps exist on the App Store.

You can download all of the apps mentioned below, provided you have an iPhone 6S or later. The more recent your device, the better performance you can expect.

Here are all the best free AR apps and games for iPhone…

1. IKEA Place

Ever wanted to try a piece of furniture in your room before you buy it? Now you can, with IKEA Place. The app features hundreds of Swedish furniture pieces and decorations, which you can virtually place in your immediate vicinity to see how they look.

IKEA promises an accurate impression of your chosen item's size, design, and functionality. It's probably worth taking the visualization with a grain of salt, but it's an excellent tool for building a virtual room that you can then convert into a digital shopping list.

The app continually adds more products, and whether or not you end up buying the item from IKEA, it's nice to try on furniture to estimate the size and work out if something suits your interior.

Download: IKEA Place for iOS (Free)

2. Civilisations AR

Walk around and experience an ancient Egyptian mummy, famous works of art from Bellini and Turner, Roman helmets, and the Rosetta Stone, among other exhibitions. The artifacts are highly detailed, and you can move them around, make them larger, and see their real-world size with the tap of a button.

Not only is the subject matter fascinating, but it's also a great example of how AR can transport us to places and allow us to experience them similarly to if we were in the same room.

If you'd like to dig in more, there are plenty of sites that make history come alive, just like BBC'S Civilisations AR app

Download: Civilisations AR for iOS (Free)

3. TapMeasure

ARKit is surprisingly accurate, but does it work as a virtual tape measure? That's precisely what TapMeasure tries to do. The app is a virtual tape measure, 3D room builder, and spirit level, all in one.

Want to re-design your house? You can create 3D blueprints of your rooms with accurate measurements to save and review whenever you want to. Share your 3D models with your interior designer or architect and make the entire process efficient and easy.

You can use it to find out if a piece of furniture would fit into your room without having to shift it or if the frames on your wall are hung up accurately.

Download: TapMeasure for iOS (Free)

4. Sketch AR

This app makes it extremely easy for you to draw and create sketches in the easiest way possible. All you have to do is point your iPhone camera at your drawing pad or surface and trace the virtual lines that the app creates for you.

Additionally, it allows you to convert your images into unique illustrations instantly. You can also play some fun games or opt for various courses that will help you learn how to draw portraits, cartoons, graffiti, and much more. There are many other fun tools you can try out on the app to help your creative side blossom.

The app has a three-day free trial after which you need to subscribe to a monthly or yearly plan of your choice.

Download: Sketch AR for iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. Giphy World

If you're GIF obsessed, this one's for you. GIPHY is the best place to find various GIFs, and they now have an AR app that lets you modify the world around you with GIFs and stickers.

Search for your favorite ones, select them, and place them in the space around you with a tap.

Want to show your friends? You can record a video of what you've created or share a link, too. If you don't like anything from the pre-existing collection, don't worry. You can make use of Giphy World's drawing tools and create your own stickers too.

Download: Giphy World for iOS (Free)

6. Big Bang AR

This app has taken augmented reality to a whole new level by visually portraying what the Big Bang actually looked like. How cool is that?

CERN scientists and Google Arts and Culture collaborated to put together factual research and create a world around you where you can watch the creation of space, time, and the universe unfold in real time.

Note that this app requires a chunk of your battery to function, along with access to your location, your camera, and your gallery to allow you to take a selfie with the stars around you and upload it to your camera roll. However, it does state that your private information will always be protected.

Download: Big Bang AR for iOS (Free)

7. Night Sky

Why go to a planetarium when you can get the planetarium to come to you? Lay down in the grass, point your iPhone to the night sky, and identify all the constellations, stars, and planets above you. You can even find the International Space Station!

You can get notifications when Starlink satellites are about to fly over you. The Maps feature helps you search for specific objects in the sky and navigates you through space. Then test your knowledge with their quiz to see how much you've learned.

Night Sky also works with Siri, if you're one for shortcuts. Don't know what something is? Point your camera towards it and ask, "Hey Siri, what star is that?" and get your answer.

This app has multiple otherworldly features that you definitely need to try out.

Download: Night Sky for iOS (Free, subscription available)

The Rise of Augmented Reality

ARKit is proof that a seemingly passing fad can always benefit from the support and standardization that a company like Apple can provide. And if this AR talk sounds familiar, remember that augmented reality and virtual reality are different.

As AR grows increasingly popular, more and more ARKit apps are popping up on the App Store. Whether you want to set up your home, learn some astronomy, or play games in AR, it's all available for you now.