Augmented Reality Apps: What Lies Ahead of Future Vision?
Augmented reality apps may sound futuristic, but consumers and marketers are embracing the concept far more quickly than you may expect. Check it out.
In the next five years, around 48% are interested in employing AR and other metaverse technology to shop. In addition, 38% of marketers reported employing augmented reality to engage customers online and in-store. Is it time to embrace augmented reality applications for your business’s commerce strategy?
The expanding market for augmented reality app development services enables the company to explore novel methods of maximizing this technology’s potential. Therefore, discoveries and implementations occur frequently in this domain. Brands and businesses are using innovative augmented reality apps to obtain a market advantage.
Augmented reality app: Basic concepts
Augmented reality definition
Augmented reality (AR) is an improved version of the physical world created using digital visual components, music, or other sensory stimulation and supplied through technology. It is a developing trend among organizations engaged in mobile computing and, in particular, commercial apps.
What is augmented reality app?
An augmented reality app is a software application that blends digital visual content (and sometimes audio and other sorts) into the user’s physical environment. Many industries, including healthcare, public safety, tourism, and marketing, use augmented reality software for training, work, and consumer applications.
Augmented reality apps written in specialized 3D programs allow the developer to link animation or contextual digital information in the program to a marker in the real world.
First, an augmented reality app or browser plug-in on a computer gets digital information from a known marker. Then it starts to run the code from the marker and layers the right image or images.
Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality
People often get augmented reality and virtual reality mixed up, so let’s clear that up. Augmented reality takes the real world and adds virtual information or even a virtual world to it to make the experience better.
For example, think about Pokémon Go, where people look for animated characters that pop up on their phones or tablets in the real world. Augmented reality apps are used by NFL broadcasters to help them better understand how plays work.
Virtual reality, on the other hand, puts people in a completely different environment, usually one that is created and shown by a computer.
For example, people who use virtual reality may find themselves in the middle of an animated scene or a digital world. You can also use virtual reality to take a picture of a real place and add it to a VR app. With a virtual reality headset, a person can walk around Italy as if they were there.
Augmented reality app development: Statistics (Update 2023)
- The current value of the augmented reality app market stands at $3.5 billion.
- By 2024, there will be 1.73 billion people who use augmented reality apps on their phones.
- 70% of consumers believe augmented reality apps can bring them benefits.
- By 2028, augmented reality apps will generate $340 billion in revenue.
- 67% of media buyers and planners desire AR advertisements in digital marketing initiatives.
- Users of augmented reality apps are between the ages of 16 and 34.
- In 2023, the augmented reality app market is expected to be valued at more than $18 billion.
With the advancement of technology, we are beginning to realize the promise of augmented reality apps. At this moment, we can only imagine what this technology will look like once we’ve maximized its potential. We’ve compiled augmented reality app statistics to answer this and many other relevant topics, so continue reading.
8 best augmented reality apps that revolutionize the world’s vision
Shopify AR — Create the future of experiential retail
Shopify AR is an augmented reality app that online store owners may use to provide an immersive shopping experience for their customers. Using films and 3D models of your products, you can provide your buyers with a greater grasp of their function and size, thereby boosting their purchasing confidence.
Shopify AR’s technology enables Android and iOS customers to transform any environment into a personal showroom. People can try on interactive models of your goods to see whether or not it suits their style or needs. You can increase your average order value by showing clients your products’ detail, size, and scale.
Houzz — The leading platform for home remodeling and design
Houzz is one of the best-augmented reality apps for designing interior layouts. Besides, it is a terrific platform for home goods and furniture retailers. Houzz is primarily a home improvement app with eCommerce capabilities that allow users to browse and purchase things within the app.
The “View in My Room” function generates augmented reality experiences by inserting products into a photograph of the user’s house using 3D technology to create a lifelike image. It even depicts how the product will appear under different lighting conditions. Consumers can shop for a new sofa without leaving their current sofa.
YouCam Makeup — #1 makeup selfie editing app
YouCam Makeup is the next app on the list of augmented reality apps (also available for Android and iOS). Here, we depart from home design and enter the realm of cosmetics artistry.
Most of the time, buying makeup is a leap of faith. You might be able to try on samples at the makeup counter. However, fluorescent lighting can play tricks on your eyes and doesn’t account for typical selfie lighting conditions. But YouCam does, and it uses augmented reality to let shoppers try on makeup from a lot of big brands.
GIPHY World — Make the world your picture
If the real world were more like GIPHY World, it would be a lot more colorful and creative. This app combines animated GIFs and augmented reality effects to turn photos and videos into 3D canvases (a lot like Snapchat does).
Try GIPHY World augmented reality app if you want to add more personality to your social media material. Add graphics and animated elements to product photographs to enhance their appeal to social media users.
Google Lens — A search engine for the real world
Google Lens improves the customer search experience by incorporating advanced augmented reality technologies.
Instead of entering a text-based inquiry, launch this augmented reality app and direct it toward the subject you wish to learn more about. Google Lens will detect the object, provide a translation of the language, and even record crucial numbers.
Oh, and it will tell you where to purchase the item (if it’s an online-saleable item). This is just one of the many reasons why you should consider a visual search strategy as part of your SEO plan. In addition, buyers can use it to translate product page text from over 100 languages without downloading Google Translate.
ROAR — Your gateway to the realm of augmented reality
ROAR is another of the top augmented reality apps aimed at company owners. Create an AR-powered web store that customers can access by scanning product packaging at home, integrate AR into print advertisements, and determine which products and categories are the most popular when seen through AR.
On the consumer side, the app improves in-store and at-home brand experiences by delivering richer, more interesting content and information about the products of interest. They may read reviews, compare prices, and even buy the product within the app.
Snapchat AR — An immersive experience for advertisers on Snap
Undoubtedly, Snapchat is a social media application renowned for its younger user demographic, amusing effects, and disappearing messages. Did you know that it is also an augmented reality application? Brands may integrate Snapchat marketing and augmented reality into their strategies by establishing a presence and purchasing branded filters.
Pokémon GO — A travel between real and virtual world
The Pokémon GO application is one of the most famous augmented reality applications. Pokémon GO was launched by Nintendo in the mid-2010s. This mobile application allows players to capture all sorts of virtual Pokémon in a real-world setting with overlays.
At its peak, the game attracted over 65 million users and constantly engaged a large number of individuals. It is an excellent example of how augmented reality can seamlessly combine the virtual and real worlds.
How to create an augmented reality app in 5 simple steps
Let’s break down the whole process of building an AR app into 5 actionable steps:
Step 1: Select the type of augmented reality technology
The type of augmented reality application you wish to build depends entirely on your business needs.
- If you are a tech startup, you will likely want to build an app that utilizes this futuristic technology in a completely novel way. You may opt to fill a market void with this technology, support a business domain that lacks AR connections, or develop an AR-enabled game.
- If you are an established firm, you are likely in search of an augmented reality (AR) solution that will enhance your marketing and sales activities. Follow the examples of IKEA Place and Target. If you currently have a customer-facing business app, you can add AR-specific features.
Step 2: List the features you wish to add
The whole feature set is dependent on the functionality you desire to include in your AR app. The following five features are essential for any contemporary augmented reality app:
- GPS detection and map integration
- Built-in camera feature — for capturing or scanning from real environments
- Marker recognition — for detecting images, icons, QR codes, etc.
- Library of 3D visuals and text elements
- Guest sign-up and social media sharing
As an entrepreneur, you can offer as few or as many features as you see fit. Choosing an app’s features is crucial. That’s because you must strike a balance between the app’s essential functionality, user experience, and user interface.
Step 3: Choose a tech stack and build a development plan
Once you have determined the features you wish to include in your app, you can move on to the next crucial step. It’s selecting the appropriate tools and technologies for your digital product. Consider that different functionalities require varying degrees of code and support.
Technically speaking, augmented reality apps require a solid programming architecture, particularly on the back end. The objective is to recognize real locations and position virtual things to establish an integration between two distinct landscapes.
In addition, augmented reality development requires specific frameworks and software development toolkits, most of which are not open-source and free. They carry a possible cost. Because it is a cost center, it is also essential to choose a technology stack with care. Here are four elements to consider while selecting a technology stack:
- The size of your augmented reality app and your target audience
- Features and core functionality
- Your plans to scale your augmented reality product or business in future
- Your estimated augmented reality app development budget
Step 4: Hire an augmented reality app developer and meet technical milestones
This A-team will support you throughout the development phase and beyond. If you already have technological experience, for example, in-app coding, AI programming, or augmented reality integrations, you will require a smaller team.
However, if you have business experience and a minimal understanding of programming, this is the primary team you need for your project.
Human resource selection is unquestionably an essential cost center for this project. To optimize your costs, you must consider your team’s operational locations and work arrangements.
- It is quite expensive to hire an in-house team due to full-time salaries and perks.
- Hiring a dedicated development team on an hourly basis, similar to staff augmentation, is novel and provides complete control over project timelines.
- The final, typical alternative is to outsource your entire app development project and remotely supervise its completion, testing, and release dates.
Step 5: Publish your augmented reality
It may take a few days to submit your app to the App Store, depending on the app’s quality and how well you’ve adhered to the iOS development rules. On the other hand, Google Play Store does not have a review process, and your software will be released a few hours after submission.
Final words
The current market has seen huge modifications as a result of augmented reality. Mobile application development companies are bridging the gap between fantasy and reality with the aid of brand-new dimensions. Existing businesses have a plethora of opportunities due to the potential of augmented reality apps.
