Full list of challenges and feature limitations when using ARCore or not on Android ?

[tsoen]

Summarize your feature feedback
After raising several issues which all found to be related to ARCore (#89, #94, #102), and reading the docs on https://developer.vuforia.com/library/platform-support/working-camera-unity, it seems like using ARCore on Android actually introduces multiple limitations (flash mode, focus region, exposure region, ability to stop the tracking detection algorithms...).

Is there a complete list somewhere of features where using ARCore is mandatory ?
Also the same for the list of features NOT available when using ARCore ?
And is there a detailed description of the drawbacks for not using ARCore (performance, tracking quality...) ?

Use-case description
ARCore seems to be causing unnecessary trouble, so I am investigating if it is actually a good thing to keep it. (Sadly, we probably need it anyway for Ground Plane...)

[ptc-thesbyro]

Hi @tsoen,

We do not have such lists currently available, only scattered information throughout the library, but we are now looking into gathering and adding this and more details about the supported platforms, their advantages, and their disadvantages into a central place.

I will see if I can have a temporary list made for you specific to ARCore and Android.

[ptc-thesbyro]

Is there a complete list somewhere of features where using ARCore is mandatory?
There is no such list, but ARCore is required for Area Targets, Ground Plane, and the status info INSUFFICIENT_LIGHT.

Also the same for the list of features NOT available when using ARCore?
Features unavailable when ARCore is enabled are Torch/flash mode, Exposure Mode, exposure region, focus region, and Focus modes (TRIGGER_AUTO, MACRO, INFINITY).

And is there a detailed description of the drawbacks for not using ARCore (performance, tracking quality...)?
Model Target tracking quality will suffer if ARCore is not used. The Android device falls back on VISLAM if the device has the required sensors and has been calibrated by Vuforia. Tracking quality should stay the same for other targets, and the device performance shouldn’t be affected. Performance depends more on the device, the database, and target sizes/complexity.

Not using ARCore and other platform enablers impact Ground Plane:

• iOS: Only supported when using ARKit, which accounts for all modern iOS devices.
• Android: Only supported when ARCore is available or on older devices via Vuforia Fusion; recent devices using Fusion account for a very small percentage.
• UWP: Only devices in the Recommended Devices list support Ground Plane via Vuforia Fusion.
• HoloLens and Magic Leap: Not supported. The same functionality can be achieved by ray-casting on the mesh or using MRTK.

Hope it helps with deciding on whether to use ARCore.