Introduction to Augmented Reality
It’s been nearly five years since Snap Inc., which owns the app Snapchat, went public on the New York Stock Exchange. And last week, for the primary time ever, Snap reported a quarterly profit. The company also said that 319 million people at the moment are using Snapchat each day, up 20% from the yr before. One of the things Snap is understood for is augmented reality — as in, using a tool so as to add something to what’s actually there. And Snapchat’s growth could possibly be an indication of an augmented future.
The Rise of Augmented Reality
During the pandemic, a number of people tried augmented reality. Though not at all times on purpose. Remember the lawyer in Texas who by accident got a kitten filter stuck when he appeared virtually in court? He did eventually determine find out how to get the cat filter off and it’s a superb example of how people became willing to experiment, in response to Forrester analyst James McQuivey. “The pandemic really put everyone in a spot where those tools became front and center to how they lived their lives,” he said.
Business Possibilities
Now, there’s more demand for those tools. Augmented and virtual reality designer Andre Elijah, who runs his own studio, said his work has evolved from creating games for firms like Snap and Fortnite to helping people shop. “Now it’s become a digital storefront where you’ll be able to do virtual trials of garments and press the button and organize them,” Elijah said. That sort of augmented reality has quite a lot of business possibilities. “It allows people to see a brand new layer of understanding around what they may buy,” said Joseph Turow, a professor of communication who studies marketing and digital media on the University of Pennsylvania. “I believe firms try to figure this out.”
Bringing People Closer to Brands
Augmented reality can even bring people closer to brands. Chad Eikhoff runs TRICK 3D, which designed an app for Delta Air Lines. “They have a museum called the Delta Flight Museum that showcases their history and experiences with old aircraft,” he said. “So we’re launching the augmented reality app that assists if you visit the airline to bring those exhibits to life.” A virtual flight attendant is visible through the Delta Flight Museum’s latest augmented reality app. So, when people visit the museum in Atlanta, they will view an actual plane, delay their phones and see a virtual Delta pilot or flight attendant start talking to them.
The Future of Augmented Reality
But people may not at all times be tied to their phones, which is why firms are working on augmented reality glasses. For now though, Forrester analyst James McQuivey said the technology just isn’t ok. “I don’t think we’re there yet. I don’t even know that now we have the BlackBerry of those devices yet. We’re within the Nokia stage, let’s call it that.” That is to say, it’s still early days. McQuivey said that after those augmented reality glasses are ok, we’d wear them on a regular basis.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the rise of augmented reality is changing the way in which we interact with the world. With the expansion of Snapchat and the increasing demand for augmented reality tools, it’s clear that this technology is here to remain. As firms proceed to develop and improve augmented reality glasses, we are able to expect to see much more revolutionary applications of this technology in the longer term. Whether it’s trying on virtual clothes or exploring a museum, augmented reality has the potential to revolutionize the way in which we experience the world.
