Mapbox acquires AR activity tracking app Fitness AR

Open-source mapping platform Mapbox has acquired activity tracking app Fitness AR. Mapbox will continue to deliver updates to the app, which has since gone free in the App Store.

Launched this past September, Fitness AR was the first mapping AR app, allowing Strava users to connect their accounts and visualize their runs, hikes and bike rides on an 3D terrain map in AR on an iPhone or iPad. Built using the Unity Maps SDK and Apple's ARKit, users are able to explore existing routes projected on any surface in 3D to plan adventures and share their activities. Featured by Apple as one of the top apps in this new category, Fitness AR showed what is possible with maps and location data on an everyday mobile device in augmented reality.

“This is about building interactive experiences. AR is going to be bigger than the browser and bigger than mobile,” said Mapbox CEO Eric Gundersen in a statement. “The addition of Adam and Eric accelerates our play of building a world class team of designers and developers rooted in the future of AR. Not only is this critical to games and mobile apps, but also will enhance our AR guided navigation and enterprise data visualizations.”

Fitness AR’s co-founders Adam Debreczeni and Eric Florenzano will be joining Mapbox as part of the acquisition to work on AR tech in verticals, including “travel, weather, fitness, sports and gaming,” according to the company.