Future of Augmented Reality (With tips to get future ready)

In today’s world, there are numerous examples where reality gets virtualized to create a composite, unique, and immersive experience. Augmented reality is what weaves this net of virtualization that makes the image we’re viewing fascinating. It involves using virtual stimuli to create heightened sensory attributes of the real world. There are many ways to achieve this. Tech companies use this technique to advance their products and make them more exciting and immersive for the public. That’s why the future of augmented reality is something to be interested in.

We see a lot of applications of augmented reality around us in our daily lives. AR helps in increasing our understanding of real objects when we see and experience them in a virtual world. 

All the ways that AR will prove to be a boon for our world are worth diving deeper into. Before that, let’s briefly look at the journey of AR so far.

How is Augmented Reality evolving?

Augmented reality is transforming and becoming better every day. We’re learning how to study the concepts and features of the real world that we live in and use that knowledge to create virtual products with heightened realism. Since its inception, companies have thought of numerous ways that could answer the question of ‘What is the future of AR?’ It was initially applied as a terrific marketing tool for data analysis and algorithm formation, but slowly they realized that its applications could be more widespread. Especially after wearable devices became popular, the use of augmented reality became more serious and organized. 

Augmented reality slowly found its way into a variety of arenas like defense, research, healthcare, technology, and marketing. Earlier, companies used AR to assemble heavy vehicle parts for military and commercial purposes. But after the smart wearables industry saw a boom, there was no stopping AR. Since AR has evolved so much, it will impact all our lives differently. Here are some of them.

1. Gaming

We’ve come a long way from playing card games to engaging in an exciting augmented world. With features like facial recognition, visualization of physical conditions, and stunning 3D graphics, AR is all set to dominate gaming for a while now. Gaming companies now invest heavily in AR research to provide customers with better gaming experiences and to include adults in their target group as well. 

2. Shopping online

One modern application of AR that most of us have tried at some point is shopping apps. Being able to view what the product would look like on us before buying it is a beautiful gift AR has given us. People can now view a virtual image of their lying room with their favorite furniture before they purchase it from the store. A 360-degree view of products online also helps customers make up their minds more easily. In some cases, unimaginable additions like ‘virtual changing rooms’ and ‘style recommendations according to your body measurements’ are also present. 

3. Video chat

First arrived touch recognition, and what followed was facial recognition, and now conferencing and chatting are becoming more advanced each year. With premium quality body reading and analysis capabilities, the future of Augmented Reality looks terrific. Recreating holographic images using expensive equipment for films is now a thing of the past because the new technology accessible to us is much more affordable. Forming a virtual presence in one place when you’re a group scattered around different corners of the world is now a possibility, all thanks to AR.

What is the future of augmented reality? 

The future of augmented reality will heavily depend on its applications and how we choose to execute those. Some factors are working positively to shape augmented reality’s tomorrow, yet many challenges are associated with the progression. Here are some things that’ll tell just how helpful AR could be in the future. 

1. Gain conversions more easily

The better a product is, the higher the customers will be, right? Wrong. That’s because the quality of your products is just as important as how well you present them to leads. 

A better presentation is bound to create a surge in conversion rates, thus bringing more profits. Getting leads in the first place is difficult, but even if you’re a lead magnet, you may not still be a customer magnet. AR will help you advance your sales funnel through an enhanced visual experience of the product you’re selling. 

Interactive images and other graphics are what glue prospects to your web pages because they’re very interactive. ‘Buy again’ requests are also likely to increase as an effect of using AR. The call to action is more impactful with AR than without it. So, businesses and corporations are deriving maximum advantage from this technology, and it will only grow in the upcoming years.

2. The millennial and gen-z factor

Considering that AR is mainly used for products with a higher ticket value and also focuses somewhat heavily on luxury brand markets, gen-z is likely to be the major shopper. One way the newer generations stand out is that they expect nothing less than an in-store shopping experience. So, innovations, thoughtful inclusions, and immersive experiences are attractive to a Gen-Z customer base. 

Another interesting thing to this audience is the scope of trying out new products. They’re open to experimentation and getting out of their comfort zone to make purchases. All these facts just point to a greater AR adoption in the future. 

3. Confident buying decisions 

An efficient advantage that AR offers is helping people see what they want to buy or simply see a lot better than usual. With the boom of e-commerce, a plethora of unorganized shopping sites and small business websites lose leads because the product isn’t visible well or doesn’t guarantee a good experience. With AR, that could change. 

With AR becoming more affordable and accessible, people with small businesses running their e-stores would be able to compete with more prominent brands on a larger level. Of course, it’s a long way before that happens. Nevertheless, the possibility exists. 

The future of augmented reality could shape the future of many other sectors. The main outcomes could be greater engagement on e-commerce websites because of the highly persuasive graphics and clearer product display. However, large corporations are the ones estimated to derive the maximum benefits from AR adoption. Small businesses will have to compete but will experience an initial ease of expansion. 

4. Easing the execution of IoT

A lot of cities around the world use the Internet of Things(IoT) for safety and environmental monitoring purposes. Using AR, these images and other graphics can be enhanced to create a more impressive execution. Having the correct data is everything in today’s world. AR will frame the skeleton of advanced data analysis simply because the initial information is higher than before. 

In other words, better data visualization means utilization of the complete data potential. Projections suggest that the market for IoT will be worth $58 billion by 2025, and the market for AR will be worth $88.4 billion by 2026. These projections only point to a more solid foundation for both technologies in the future. Blending both for higher scalability and reach is what could be our best tomorrow. The blend would result in businesses gaining data in a more presentable form. Hence, they’ll know what to make of the data they have faster and better. 

5. Infrastructural and architectural planning

With land available for construction squeezing every passing day, it is more necessary now than ever to plan and design infrastructure more effectively. The efficacy of construction depends heavily on better visualization. This is where AR could pave the road ahead for technological advancements in the construction sector. Visualizing the changes without actually proceeding with any physical construction is really helpful and a huge time-saver. 

The exact way AR can help here is by providing overlays of virtual images with real-life objects. Computer-generated graphics of buildings could help streamline the workflow at construction sites as far as the planning goes. Architectural planners and engineers will have to adapt to the technology and use it to their advantage to make strides in the construction sector. Overall, AR can significantly improve construction models, tools, connections made, and the actual construction steps.

6. Solution to the global climate change problem

This effect is one of the more indirect consequences of a wider AR adoption. But the first and most prominent effect of AR adoption will be the gradual fade of physical presentations and meetings. More immersive and better visualizations will likely reduce the need to travel to a physical office. A short video call will work just as well. This will lead to a flip in how presentations and creative visualizations work today. Thus, transport emissions are expected to reduce greatly once AR adoption goes mainstream.

The use of AR includes but isn’t limited to presentations. Infotainment and entertainment are also expected to improve to a great extent. Commercial films often drive huge audiences to theaters. If AR makes strides, the sectors that’ll be affected the most are entertainment and education. The OTT platforms will likely gain viewers, provided AR and VR blend to create a high-quality consumer experience. All the good that AR adoption will bring is expected to be achieved by 2025-26. But, there’s still some speculation about blending AR and VR to create unique experiences. Let’s explore that in detail.

How can PlugXR help you get future-ready?

Using PlugXR creator, businesses, and individuals have been boosting their project building and improving user experience. We became proud partners of the AWE XR Challenge 2022 where creators could build solutions to global climate change issues. They could use the platform to build solutions that shape the future of the world.

Some of the notable case studies include the following:

1. Personalized Patisseries (with AR experience) at Regaliz: Regaliz, a small business in Europe could provide unique experiences to their customers and increase revenue by transforming their traditional way of selling patisseries. 
2. Dizbi Retail Virtual Store: Dizbi teamed up with PlugXR to create an immersive virtual store experience that would provide customers with a seamless shopping experience as if they were physically present in the store. Its sales numbers improved by 75% and customer experience for online users by 100%.
3. TAFE Vehicles’ virtual demonstration: Using PlugXR, TAFE created Android, iOS, and Web AR apps that allowed potential buyers to experience the inner workings of TAFE vehicles in a virtual environment without physically splitting the vehicles. 

Also, PlugXR has dedicated research and development in place to explore possibilities across technologies – AR, VR, MR, XR, Metaverse, and beyond to help businesses thrive with better training, marketing, and operation to boost operation.

Key takeaway: AR will thrive in the future

The future of augmented reality heavily depends on the maneuvering of its present. 

AR is a widely adopted segment of immersive technology. Dealing with artificially creating something that’s not present, and refining something existent to add realism has reached several essential applications in the real world and will continue to impact the lives of people and businesses across the globe.​