Apple releases an AR app that bridges the time gap between For All Mankind's seasons

In light of the launch of the second season of its Apple TV+ show, For All Mankind, Apple is bridging the ten-year gap between season one and two using an AR app to tell the story of what happened in between.

The app titled, "For All Mankind: Time Capsule" is Apple's bid to stay relevant in the AR space, reminding people that it still hasn't forgotten about Augmented Reality.  The show which takes place in an alternate reality where the Soviet Union and United States are embroiled in a space race has a ten year gap in story between its two seasons which will be filled in by the app.

As reported by Techcrunch, "Time Capsule" is a linear 45 minute experience but also fleshes out some of its sections for replayability. If you have an iPhone Pro, iPhone Pro Max or the iPad Pro, you can use the LiDAR on the devices to create a virtual projector which will project images of the show's characters.

Producer Ben McGinnis told Techcrunch that the app was developed in parallel with the second season of the show. The creative team worked with Apple to figure out how to tell the story in AR while offering feedback on various elements of the app.

Show creator Ron Moore said he is open to the possibility of creating new ways for fans to explore the show's universe and said that the writers often end up with way more stuff that doesn't make it into the show.

“Part of the promise of this technology is that a fan of any show, by definition, usually wants to know more about it, more about the characters,” Moore told Techcrunch.

He also stressed that the AR experience wasn't explicitly needed to watch the second season but it would enrich the experience for viewers who do.