Hey there! Let's break down your options clearly since you're building an industrial AR app in Unity focused on placing 3D equipment models into an empty factory space. I’ll walk through each framework’s fit for your use case, plus give a tailored recommendation.

Core Requirements to Prioritize #

First, let’s align on what matters most for your project:

• Reliable plane tracking (to accurately place models on factory floors/walls)
• Strong Unity integration
• Stability for industrial environments
• Compatibility with your target devices

Framework Deep Dive #

ARCore (Google) #

• Best for Android-only projects: It’s Google’s native AR solution, with rock-solid Unity integration (official plugin, full documentation, and active support).
• Industrial fit: Excels at plane detection, spatial anchoring (to lock your 3D equipment in place even if the camera moves), and basic environment understanding—perfect for empty factory spaces where you just need to map flat surfaces. It also supports cloud anchors if you ever need multi-user collaboration or cross-device position syncing.
• Bonus: Since you’ve used Tango before, you’ll find ARCore familiar—it inherited many of Tango’s spatial sensing capabilities, so the learning curve will be gentle.

ARKit (Apple) #

• Best for iOS-only projects: Apple’s optimized AR platform is top-tier for precision, especially on devices with LiDAR (like iPhone 12 Pro and later, iPad Pro models).
• Industrial fit: LiDAR-enabled devices can generate detailed 3D spatial meshes of your empty factory, letting you place equipment models with pinpoint accuracy against real-world surfaces. Even without LiDAR, ARKit’s plane tracking is extremely stable for large open spaces.
• Note: Limited exclusively to Apple hardware, so it’s only an option if your target users are on iOS.

Vuforia #

• Best for cross-platform (Android + iOS) projects: A mature, cross-platform AR SDK with excellent Unity support. It’s more flexible than native frameworks because it supports not just plane tracking, but also image targets, object targets, and spatial anchors.
• Industrial fit: If your factory has existing markers (like floor lines or wall signage), Vuforia’s image/object recognition can let you anchor models to those specific points for extra precision. Its free tier works for small-scale projects, though advanced features require a paid license.
• Caveat: For pure plane tracking in empty spaces, its accuracy is slightly behind ARCore/ARKit’s native implementations—but the cross-platform convenience often makes up for this.

Optimal Recommendation #

• Cross-platform needs: Go with Vuforia for its dual-device support and industrial-focused features. Alternatively, use Unity’s AR Foundation (a wrapper layer) to integrate both ARCore and ARKit into a single project—this lets you leverage each native framework’s strengths while writing one set of Unity code.
• Android-only: Stick with ARCore—it’s free, well-documented, and built for exactly the kind of spatial placement you’re doing.
• iOS-only: Choose ARKit, especially if you can target LiDAR-equipped devices for the most accurate factory space mapping.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者DiXcipuli