New APIs deliver floating point depth maps and update the Android target. See impact on interoperability and migration.
Direct answer
ARCore 1.56 adds AcquireDepthImageMeters and AcquireRawDepthImageMeters, APIs that expose depth in meters using floating point values. The stated goal is to unify data between ARCore and OpenXR; the same version also raises the default targetSdkVersion to Android API 37 when the application does not set another value.
What changed in the format
The new functions return depth in meters as floating point numbers. This reduces format-specific conversions in integrations that also use OpenXR and makes the unit explicit in the API contract.
Why meters help interoperability
Pipelines with different engines, plugins, and runtimes accumulate scale conversions. A common physical unit facilitates testing, sensor comparison, and object alignment, as long as origin, orientation, accuracy, and coordinate conventions are also documented.
Changing targets requires attention
If the app doesn't fix its targetSdkVersion, manifest merging may raise it to API 37. Teams should review permissions, Android behavior, libraries, and distribution policies before updating the SDK.
How to test the migration
Create scenes with known distances, reflective surfaces, little texture, and occlusions. Compare error, temporal stability and consumption. Also validate fallback on devices without Depth API and maintain telemetry by device model.
Nexus Reading
Space interoperability depends on measurable contracts. Exposing meters directly is a simple improvement with an architectural effect: it reduces ambiguity between capture, logic and rendering.
FAQ
Do the new APIs replace existing depth maps?
No. They add a representation in meters to facilitate integration and interoperability.
Does every device offer the same precision?
No. Accuracy varies with distance, movement, texture, lighting and available sensors.
Does the Android target change automatically?
May switch to API 37 when the project does not explicitly define another targetSdkVersion.
Essential guides to delve deeper into the decision
This editorial analysis was produced by Nexus from the official sources below, consulted on September 9, 2026. The text is original and interprets practical implications for companies.
- Google — What’s new in ARCore: Official ARCore 1.56 changes and compatibility.
- Google — Depth adds realism: Depth API functioning, accuracy, use cases, and limitations.
Date reported by main source: documentation updated on September 4, 2026.