For many of us, imagining a world with mainstream mixed reality and augmented reality technology comes with vague images of holographs and scenes from Black Mirror set in some far off time.
But the launch of Apple Glass is coming. It could be here as soon as next year. Google has released the most recent Enterprise Edition 2 for direct purchase and also acquired North in 2020 and will take over the Focals 2.0 development. Microsoft is coming along well in regards to AR with the release of the Hololens 2 last year, which is now available for direct purchase from Microsoft.
Most of us haven’t fully grasped how revolutionary this is; AR technology creates a complete merging of the digital and physical world, and it will be in the hands of the entire population.
While current iterations of augmented reality involve bulky, expensive hardware better suited for specific jobs and industries--like manufacturing, engineering, and healthcare--Apple Glass is predicted to come in at $500 retail with a sleek, stylish wearable model.
They’re designed to look like your average pair of glasses, which work with your phone to augment the world around you--placing interactive digital material in your line of sight based on your surroundings.
Currently, augmented reality technology is used mostly in work settings, where its applications continue to grow and evolve. Training and onboarding is made easier with the fully immersive visual learning experience it creates; it makes training surgeons less dangerous; it allows manufacturers and construction workers to follow along with the exact steps of their task; it increases productivity in warehousing jobs; and it puts the information and expertise of your industry at your fingertips while on the job.
Many companies are especially interested in mixed reality for training and onboarding solutions as the workforce goes remote for COVID. This trend is likely to continue even after COVID is no longer a concern.
These applications of MR & AR are only a glimpse at the future of this revolutionary technology. When it’s in the hands of the general population--not just used in warehouses and operating rooms--every brand, industry, and business will want to have their hands on the power of augmented reality.
Marketing boils down to a fight for people’s attention. Immersive experiences capture attention like nothing else can, and AR will make immersive marketing experiences the norm. To stand out in this arena--to get there before your competition--will drive powerful outcomes for your business.
When Apple Glass becomes mainstream, people won’t be able to walk down the street without running into augmented experiences. Every single industry will be impacted by this technology. Every aspect of physical life will slowly be integrated into digital life until the two merge. Where will your business be when the augmented reality becomes mainstream?
goHere® to stay on the cutting edge and Augment Your Reality™.