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SINGAPORE – Visitors exploring Singapore will soon be able to view Chinatown, Orchard Road, Gardens by the Bay and another 27 well-known locations here in vibrant augmented reality (AR) renders from their Google Maps app. Announced at Google I/O – the technology firm’s annual developer conference – on May 15, the pilot feature is being delivered through a partnership between Google and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB). It aims to give popular attractions and destinations in the Republic the AR treatment to revitalise interest. Only Singapore and Paris have been selected for this pilot feature, which will arrive on apps here during the summer, said Google and STB in a joint statement on May 16, without giving a date. Google Maps users will be able to point their phone at real-life locations to view AR animations superimposed onto their real-life surroundings that are unique to each location. The areas given the makeover for now are the Central Business District, Orchard Road, Sentosa and Chinatown. For instance, virtual flowers sprout from the ground when the camera is pointed towards the Gardens’ iconic Supertrees. Popular food items will pop up on the screen when the phone is pointed towards Maxwell Food Centre. STB and Google said they plan to increase the number of location-based AR experiences in Google Maps here beyond 30, building on Google’s goal of making Singapore the world’s first “AR City” in Google Maps. Mr Simon Ang, director of STB’s tech transformation branch, The Collaboratory, said the pilot feature will benefit local businesses which can tap AR to tell different stories over the same spaces and have their content discoverable on Google Maps. He said: “It also benefits travellers as it aids their discovery of new places of interest, and enriches them with a deeper understanding of Singapore’s rich history and culture through interactive storytelling.” At least 12 firms here have joined the project. Traditional Chinese medicinal product seller Thye Shan Medical Hall and Tong Heng Traditional Cantonese Pastries are among local businesses that have received the AR makeover. The AR feature uses Google’s Geospatial Creator platform, which allows developers to build AR experiences using technology that tracks a device’s position and motion in the real world, and overlays digital content on camera footage. STB and Google used the same technology in 2023 to create Merli’s Immersive Adventure – a guided tour of Singapore’s landmarks available on the Visit Singapore Travel Guide app. AR is tipped as a means to engage consumers with new retail experiences like virtual shopping and digital concierges, STB said in an enterprise guide for extended reality uses that include AR. Snapchat also worked with STB to render landmarks here in AR, beginning with Haji Lane, where murals on the facade of buildings there came to life when viewed on the Snapchat app.