Augmented reality is a technology in the pursuit of bringing deeper and more engaging experiences to people on the go and all over the world.
The idea is simple in concept: allow for traditionally 2D digital assets to take up space in the user’s physical environment. In application, however, the experience is far greater than a 3D Pacman.
As a matter of fact, augmented reality is being used for far more than you can even guess. From bringing a prototype to life-sized scale in a workshop to playing Pokemon Go around the world, AR is capable of transforming limited shopping and payment experiences into transcendent ones.
Bloomberg NewsAs the mobile commerce, technology and payment market keeps steamrolling ahead, it is obvious that AR has been helping to proliferate applications and to reinvigorate a potentially ossifying industry.
“I’m excited about augmented reality because unlike virtual reality, which closes the world out, AR allows individuals to be present in the world but hopefully allows an improvement on what’s happening presently,” Tim Cook said in touting the possible benefits of AR.
However, the effect of this has been far greater than what could have been possibly expected. The AR revolution in mobile has made smartphones centralized places to play video games. So much so that people are playing them at home in lieu of other activities or gaming consoles.
This disruption to the market is making phone manufacturers plan for the next phase of AR integration and adoption. In no uncertain terms, augmented reality has changed the landscape of mobile gaming by offer something more engaging and exhilarating.
It is an undeniable treat to have little digital sprites run around your living room or to play chess on a digital board floating in midair. The possibilities are endless and the results will be nothing short of miraculous.
Apps like Snapchat and Translate rely on machine-vision algorithms to work their magic. Snapchat is designed to detect faces.
This works well enough, but means that the bunny ears can be applied only to heads. Translate, similarly, looks for text in the world upon which to work its magic. But smartphone makers have bigger plans.
In fact, many mobile gaming developers, just like smartphone manufacturers, have gone back to the drawing board to figure out how they can best take advantage of this new and enticing technology.
It is easy to see that augmented reality is a much larger force than anticipated. What was once considered a passing fad has, unexpectedly, cemented itself in the lexicon of mobile gaming. It is now synonymous with engagement and, at the very least, an entertaining experience that will leave the user wanting for more.
It has capabilities well outside of gaming as well and can be used for a wide array of applications. Even if used to decorate your home with ideas before you purchase anything, the technology will completely change your perspective on reality-altering technology.
A computerized calendar can be placed on the desk (or the ceiling, if you prefer). All this information can be seen without having to cut yourself off completely from the outside world, as a VR headset would require.