A Glimpse of MultipeerConnectivity

I recently took a look into the MultipeerConnectivity framework by Apple when I worked on an iPhone-based AR project.

The MultipeerConnectivity framework is a lot easier for Apple’s ARkit to create a multiuser AR experience. Unlike conventional connections, the MultipeerConnectivity does not have to assign hosts or guests if you would like to define all participants as equal peers. MultipeerConnectivity is on top of Apple’s Bonjour network, the framework can create a peer-to-peer connection that supports communication and data transmission between nearby devices over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on iPhones. The peer-to-peer communication does not require IP address like conventional connections when the target devices are under the same local network.

A lot of people might feel the Bonjour protocol sounds unfamiliar. But actually, you have used Bonjour if you have tried AirPlay, AirDrop or have used iTunes/iPhoto to find shared music/photos. Apple’s Bonjour is a networking protocol that requires zero-configuration, enables automatic discovery of devices and services on a local network, and helps to manage shared resources for MacOS and IOS.

(Photo by Apple ARKit)