Sharks in AR are either awful or awesome — we can’t decide

An augmented reality app now lets you catch and tame your very own virtual shark, which will follow you around everywhere you go. Judging by my colleagues’ reactions, you’re either going to love this or hate this.

The sharks aren’t restricted to the water. Instead, they float over and around you, swimming through the air, and you use bait to draw them near. You can attract a leopard shark for free or pay to unlock the Great White. An in-app photo mode lets you share footage of the weirdest places your shark turns up.

One place it might turn up? “Your bath!” said a spokesperson. Even as a shark lover, that part gives me a little pause.

Curiscope, the company behind the Great White Sharks Virtual Dive, developed the app. Ed Barton, Curiscope’s CEO, said the AR app was a natural extension of the VR video:

ARKit is the technology that finally bridges the gap between high-end positional technology and the accessible mass-market with over 100m compatible devices. It’s a perfect match for Curiscope, enabling us to encourage curiosity, wonder and connection with the world that surrounds us.