Shortly after Qualcomm releases its AR SDK kit for iOS, Layar, the open platform for mobile augmented reality (AR), unleashes Layar Vision. Layar Vision enables the mobile phone to recognize real world objects, and shows digital content on top of them. When holding their phone over posters, magazines and newspapers, users are able to view and interact with these digital experiences.

Layar is one of the world’s leading mobile augmented reality platforms, with a reported 10 million installs, 10,000 developers and the largest content catalogue with over 2,500 layers. The platform brings impactful augmented reality experiences into people’s everyday lives, changing the way we use our mobile devices.  The Layar application is available for Android, iPhone, Symbian and Bada devices, comes globally pre-installed on millions of phones and is promoted by leading handset manufacturers and mobile providers like Samsung, Verizon and Sprint.

The platform can detect up to 50 items and combine them with location-based layers. The layers can apparently be products, or actual locations too. Documents for Layar Vision are on the Blippar website now. Developers will have access to beta versions of the software in the coming weeks, and the finished product should launch in Q4. Blippar will offer support for Android and iOS devices via apps.

“We are really excited about this release. Mobile devices can finally ‘see’,” said Maarten Lens-FitzGerald, Layar co-founder and General Manager. “By adding Layar Vision we are taking an important step towards making augmented reality more effective. With Layar Vision we enable developers to create easy and fast user experiences. It quickly detects multiple enriched objects around a user at any given time.”

To kickstart the launch of Layar Vision, registration for the Layar Creation Challenge, worth $55,000 in total cash prizes, has opened today.  The 10 developers with the best concepts for useful and unique layers using Layar Vision will receive anywhere from $2,500 to $15,000. The winners will be picked by an expert panel.

Meanwhile, WIMM Labs today announced details of its wearable platform, as well as the upcoming availability of a limited number of WIMM One Developer Preview Kits. The platform will usher in a new era of innovation for wearable technology with the support of WIMM investors and partners, a network of independent developers and the imagination of brand licensees.

“There’s an increasing demand for digital experiences that are faster, easier and more relevant. WIMM Labs integrates information into your daily life in the form of useful, subtle glances,” said Dave Mooring, WIMM Labs Chief Executive Officer.

“To achieve that, we’ve created an incredibly powerful, yet small, modular device that can be embedded into a wide variety of consumer products. Combined with customizable applications and a branded web interface, the WIMM Labs Platform give licensees the ability to create more personal, intuitive and valuable connections with customers,” concluded Mooring.

 The WIMM Module features:

• Always-On Access – Dynamic activity feeds and alerts on a 1.4 inch display
• Full-Color Touch Screen – Rich visual experiences and effortless navigation
• Robust Connectivity – Connects to internet via Wi-Fi; Bluetooth paring
• Accelerometer and Magnetometer – Built in sensors for accurate motion tracking
• Web-based Management – Manage device and add applications through any desktop or mobile device

The module will come pre-loaded with a library of custom watch faces and core Micro Apps, including; Caller ID, SMS Preview, Lost Phone Warning, Calendar, Weather and World Clock and more.

With the WIMM Platform, the possibilities for licensees are nearly endless. Early scenarios include an ultimate athlete watch, business command and control devices, payment automation, and advanced health monitoring.