Alteon.io, a digital platform that streamlines creative workflows for content creators of all backgrounds, now supports augmented reality (AR) projects, allowing users to store, view and collaborate on USDZ and other 3D formats remotely. Announced shortly after Apple unveiled Vision Pro, their new AR headset, the move cements Alteon’s commitment to building best-in-class cloud-based infrastructure for a new generation of 3D artists creating no-code AR scenes on desktops, tablets and smartphones.
Once creators upload 3D objects to Alteon’s asset management platform, they can view their 3D objects in the real world for instant augmented reality when accessing their file in Alteon with a smartphone, tablet or AR headset, such as Apple’s new Vision Pro. While users can currently upload any 3D scene descriptor to Alteon, the company is emphasizing support for USDZ files, the preferred file type of Apple and Pixar, which Alteon renders in the cloud and displays as thumbnails, just like any other media file.
They can also leverage Alteon’s powerful turnkey suite of tools for interactive media projects. Once 3D objects are opened in Alteon, users will be able to see in-depth metadata, including file details, user permissions, meta tags and comments. They can also share their work with clients and collaborators using secure links that include optional password protection and expiry dates.
This move comes just days after Alteon announced Brian Meaney as their new Head of Product. Meaney previously spent more than 18 years designing video products at Apple, and nearly four years heading up UX design for trailblazing AR company Magic Leap. At Alteon, one of Meaney’s immediate goals will be architecting the company’s direction in the AR space as the industry continues its rapid evolution.
“Bringing interactive media into a mainstream cloud asset manager means creatives will finally be able to access their content wherever they like—doing the work they need to, when they need to,” Meaney said. “But simply uploading files alone isn’t enough. Alteon has incredible potential to enhance these projects, becoming a ground-floor collaborator for 3D artists to tell stories, create experiences and showcase the limitless possibilities AR has to offer.”
Meaney joined Alteon alongside Magic Leap co-founder and NASA technologist Sam Miller, who recently took on an advisory role at the company. Miller has co-authored nearly 300 patents, with a significant emphasis on AR.
“Alteon has the opportunity to make the lives of every AR creator and production professional better, simply by consolidating their workflows into a universal space,” Miller said. “There are very few content management systems designed to handle scene descriptor files and interactive content, especially for creators using tablets and mobile devices with limited storage. Alteon has the potential to become a one-stop cloud solution for AR media creators working remotely.”
The combined extended reality (XR) creator economy has the potential to expand the retail and consumer space, including film and gaming, by $204 billion in 2030, according to a report by PwC. This is part of an estimated $1.5-trillion boost to the global economy across various industries. With regards to Apple, Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring predicts that AR spatial computing will become the company’s new major platform, pegging revenue from the Vision Pro at $20 billion with a total addressable market of $100 billion by 2030, as more affordable device prices bring the technology into the mainstream.
Alteon, which just won 2023 Product of the Year and Best of Show awards at the annual National Association of Broadcasters Show in Las Vegas in April, is now one of the only mainstream digital asset management and collaboration platforms to actively support AR creators across multiple devices, including iPhone and iPad. Alteon allows users to upload, share, review and collaborate on media with anyone in the world, and has previously introduced support for several professional and cutting-edge file types rarely accepted by other platforms, including RAW file formats (currently Blackmagic Design RAW, with Apple ProRes RAW and ARRIRAW slated for 2023). Meanwhile, in February 2023, Alteon released its first application in the NFT space, Alteon LaunchPad, a free-to-use drag-and-drop minting tool for everyday creators to mint NFTs natively within Opera Crypto Browser.
“We are committed to supporting a diverse range of multimedia content creators,” said Matt Cimaglia, co-founder and CEO of Alteon. “We believe in empowering creatives with the tools they need to push boundaries and unlock new possibilities. With USDZ support, Alteon enables users to harness the transformative potential of augmented and virtual reality, revolutionizing the way we create and experience media. This is just the beginning of our commitment to stay at the forefront of technological advancements and drive innovation in the industry.”
Augmented and virtual reality have been on Cimaglia’s radar for many years. Consulting as a creative and technology expert for Ogilvy, he spearheaded an AR ad campaign of theirs for Kiwi Shoe Polish, which ended up winning several Cannes Lions awards in 2017. The following year, Cimaglia created the non-profit 360ArtProject, which documented artists’ creative processes using immersive 360-degree videos.
Alteon will continue rolling out increased support for AR and VR files in the coming months.
About Alteon.io
Alteon.io is democratizing the media industry by creating professional-grade tools that are accessible to all. By empowering content creators of all backgrounds with a fully streamlined workflow that lets them upload, share, collaborate, review and store projects within a single platform, Alteon can cut production time from days to minutes. Alteon is a subsidiary of Third Summit. For more, visit alteon.io.
