Apple TV+ expands into AR with ‘For All Mankind’ promo

Apple TV+’s For All Mankind is raring for a new season set in the 1980s on February 19. In addition to a first look featurette, Apple has made this alternate reality an augmented one through an iOS app, according to 9to5Mac. For All Mankind: Time Capsule will provide fans with a look at the gap between seasons one and two from the perspective of a teenage Danny Stevens, the son of two astronauts on the show.

How to get the app — For All Mankind: Time Capsule is already available in the U.S., but you might want the latest, premium Apple hardware to fully enjoy it. In order to access some special features, you’ll need the latest iPad Pro, iPhone 12 Pro, or iPhone 12 Pro Max to take advantage of their LiDAR sensors.

A deeper escape — Streaming services have already been a great source of escapism for many, especially throughout the pandemic. If that’s not hitting the way it used to, Apple is allowing you to immerse yourself even deeper into a narrative.

The first season of For All Mankind follows NASA in an alternate reality where the Soviet Union beat the U.S. to the moon, covering the late 1960s through the early 1970s. Season two will jump forward to the 1980s where modernization has happened much faster due to the ongoing fervor of the space race.

This AR app allows users to go through a time capsule while in between these two periods, offering some backstory and deeper world-building. From the POV of Danny Stevens, the son of astronauts played by Michael Dorman and Sarah Jones, you can navigate the trinkets and get a better sense of the important events from this gap. An older Danny, played by Casey W. Johnson is expected to play a more prominent role in season two.

Showrunner Ron Moore told 9to5Mac: “I was intrigued from the very beginning at the idea that we could use AR to immerse the audience in the alternate history aspect of the series, explaining and illustrating some of the historical events and technological advances that are implied in the show but which we never had a chance to fully present.”