Augmented reality has taken the tech world by storm this year. As more and more companies begin to adopt the technology to build their platforms, we see just how much potential there really is for the future of AR tech. AR not only improves work and play, but it also enhances learning and everyday tasks. What makes it even better is that almost anyone with a phone can use it, which makes it truly a piece of technology made for everyone.
In work and education, AR has demonstrated to be useful for enhancing performance and efficiency. It can be used to add additional data to existing objects, or it can be used to render 3D models of inaccessible items such as human anatomy.
AR is also a great marketing tool. Retailers always want to improve customer experience and AR can help with that. A great example of marketable AR is IKEA and Shopify, who both have designed an app that lets customers virtually place items in physical spaces to test out. This gives a better visual without having to do any manual labor. Another example is Apple and American Airlines’ prototype that overlays real-time information for travelers to easily navigate the airport before they board.
Recently, companies like Google, Apple and 8th Wall, have taken AR even further by making it accessible via the web. Instead of having to download an app, which requires another level of user intent, one can simply open up their browser to activate it. With one less step to perform, the goal is to have more users employ it for their needs.
AR may not be everyone’s cup of tea right now, but companies still have high hopes for its future. With a few more years of development and refinement, AR can potentially revolutionize multiple industries and make more fantasies into realities.