ImagineAR brings Santa to kids' homes using augmented reality and smartphones

ImagineAR Inc (CSE:IP) (OTC:IPNFF) (FRA:GMS1) is helping an unlikely person stay safe from COVID-19 this holiday season, the company announced Tuesday: Santa Claus.  Using the free ImagineAR app, Santa will be able to enter the homes of 'good' boys and girls in full 3D through their parents' smartphones, rather than chimneys, the company quoted the big man himself.  READ: ImagineAR signs revenue partnership agreement with Real Sociedad to provide its Augmented Reality SDK Platform for fan engagement "Yes, it's true," Santa said in a statement. "The elves at ImagineAR and I wanted to bring some early holiday cheer to children this year, since social distancing has stopped my visits to shopping malls, stores and special events. We wanted to make sure children could still have their yearly photo with me and could even dance with me in their very own homes.” ImagineAR CEO and “head elf” Alen Paul Silverrstieen was inspired by his five-year-old daughter, who has been unable to visit Santa in person this year due to the coronavirus. "This little girl wanted to visit Santa before the holidays and while she understood it wasn't safe, it broke Santa's heart," Silverrstieen said. "The big guy was quite clear — make it so parents, grandparents and friends can use their smartphone to bring him directly into the homes of children everywhere for photos. We went a step further with Santa's magic — using the free ImagineAR app and from the phone, folks can even record video of Santa Claus dancing with their little ones in front of their very own trees to share with family and friends." To see Santa, parents can download the ImagineAR app from the iOS or Google Play store, select "AR Near Me" and choose a Santa experience from the bottom of the screen. The ImagineAR app has multiple Santa experiences to choose from, Silverrstieen said "In case a half-eaten cookie and empty glass of milk aren't enough, we can even provide parents with photographic proof that Santa was in their home on Christmas Eve stealthily with his big bag of toys," Silverrstieen added. Santa, the company said, has taken to the new technology, if a bit reluctantly. "I'm an old guy, set in my ways," Santa said. "Don't tell anyone, but I'll likely still use chimneys, too. But my ImagineAR elves have really outdone themselves. Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas! Ho! Ho! Ho!" Contact Andrew Kessel at andrew.kessel@proactiveinvestors.com Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel