Planning to Develop an Augmented Reality App? – Consider these Factors

Augmented Reality gained immense popularity after the success of Pokemon Go. The gaming industry was the pioneer adopter of augmented reality technology. Some brands that have embraced this new technology are already appreciating it. Some others are still confused about adopting this emerging technology.

Augmented Reality is the artificial environment that is creating by mixing physical and digital worlds. User doesn't really get transported to a new world, but positions some of the artificial elements into the physical world. AR has brought a world of new possibilities and opportunities for different industries. What does AR do for businesses?

• Deliver engaging experience to the users
  

• Improve engagement with the mobile app
  

How Augmented Reality Helps Different Industries to Boost Their Business

1- Retail Retailers across different industries use AR technology to enhance the shopping experience. Lacoste created the LCST AR mobile app to allow the customers try the shoes virtually. The app also offers various interesting features such as in-store signage, window displays, and promotional postcards. Augmented Reality brings in-store experience to the consumers' homes. Without visiting the store, users can experience the products and services at the comfort of their homes. The Ray Ban app allows you to check the preferred sunglasses and share them with your friends to get feedbacks. Zara provides an option to make a clothing come to life. Users can click to shop the look and check the items virtually whether they fit before buying. Sephora is an early adopter of AR technology as the brand provides an option to the users to use 3D facial recognition to try the items virtually. Create AR App for retail industries and boosts up the sales rate and assists the customers make better decisions while purchasing any products or services. Brands can display their products virtually in a realistic way and provide updated information to the users.

2- Manufacturing Modern manufacturing industry involves assembling hundreds and thousands of components. AR aims at making the manufacturing process efficient by reducing the production costs by identifying the problems and solving them. Bosch collaborated with startup AR firm Reflekt since 2013 to stay competitive in the automobile industry. Manufacturers can reduce the production downtime with the help of AR apps. Virtual information obtained from AR applications can be used by engineers and technicians to get their work done faster. Some apps provide remote assistance to minimize the execution times and increase the productivity of the business.

3- Real Estate Augmented Reality is known as a superimposition of computerized images or existing environs to make them highly interactive. AR app is quite useful for real estate sector because it is considered to be the game changer in realty industry. It makes the prospective buyers inspect properties as completed products although they are still under construction phase through 3D videos in a 360-degree angle. By making use of this technology, real estate firms which have properties in construction phase may provide you an appropriate idea on how the homes will look and when it will get ready. With a simple mouse click, clients can view changes in the property by modifying the wall color or by including some significant furniture in the house.

4- AR-aided education AR has changed the way educational content is produced and delivered. The benefits of augmented reality technology for education cannot be overestimated – it can revive the role of kids' imagination in learning and development. Augment is a specialized AR tool that focuses on AR presentations, 3D designs, and modeling projects. Students can build their own 3D models using this presentation tool. Quiver is an amazing AR app that makes coloring fun. It helps students unleash their inner artists by proving a realistic touch to the pages. Make chemistry fun for the children with Elements 4D.

5- Augmented Healthcare Augmented reality in healthcare is a very powerful tool. It opens a lot of opportunities for training and performing procedures. Healthcare providers constantly evaluate 2D images to diagnose illness and suggest the right treatments. Microsoft's HoloLens changes the way doctors learn about the human anatomy. Surgical procedures become easy with Augmented Reality apps. Such apps are used for tumor identification, blood flow visualizations, and reconstructive procedure planning. Dentists use AR apps for better image processing and accurate measurements.

6- Interior design and Architects AR apps are used by interior designers and architects to help home owners or buyers visualize different aspects of homes and create the perfect space. Anyone who wants to make their home or office look great can use AR Applications to create the accurate 3D models for furniture and décor items. Such apps can also be used for viewing different types of building materials in order to demonstrate engineering around a building. Animation and digital data can be added to the images for creating an augmented environment for homes and offices.

How Augmented Reality Apps Work?

The AR industry is predicted to hit global revenues worth $90 billion by 2020. It is certain that this technology will evolve in the future. There are several ways in which this technology can be implemented in different industries. Tech companies are focusing on creating AR kits to make the development of apps easier and faster.

1. Marker-based Apps Such apps work on the basis of image recognition feature. This technology uses the camera in AR device to produce results. A marker can be anything that has unique visual points. Digital images can be identified to decode the marker. The position and orientation of the object can be calculated. When pattern is identified, it is overlaid with an AR object. Marker-based apps capture the images of the physical world using camera and convert them into a grayscale image. The app can retrieve information stored to produce the 3D virtual object accurately.

2. Location-based Apps Location-based AR apps, also known as markerless, focus on position and geo-based augmented reality. It relies on digital compass, GPS, accelerometer, and more to identify the exact position of an object. Location-based augmented reality gives app developers a chance to engage the audience and make the experience interesting and exciting for them. You can trigger notifications based on location and deliver unique experience. Location-based app development are changes the world as we see today.

3. Simulating real-life 3D objects Real-life objects can be transformed into 3D objects using AR. For example, you have a room that has different objects and you would like to alter the layout of the furniture. You can recreate the furniture with augmented reality and get an idea about how your space can be made more attractive. AR also helps users get real life gaming experiences.

4. Browsers showing user location AR helps to track the user's location to be displayed on the device screen and deliver relevant content according to the specific location. One can make use of browsers with AR to track the exact location of the user.

5. Real-life interactions One of the most impressive examples of Augmented Reality is the Pokemon Go that created a lot of sensation all over the world since the beginning. AR allows real-life interactions and offers an amazing and exciting gaming experience to the users. This feature stimulates engagement among the users.

Challenges That Make Implementing Augmented Reality Difficult

Only 13% of the organizations in the US have adopted this technology. This figure shows that there are still miles to go for AR to be embraced by businesses across different sectors all over the world.

1. Technical requirements
When organizations need a fully functional AR solution, they would require a lot of components. Along with technical requirements such as Unity 3D engine, hardware, content, there may be awareness within the premises required. We still lack some of these aspects in most businesses.

2. Devices used in AR AR applications can run in any device or smartphone. Such apps are omnipresent. Crucial hardware elements such as cameras, motion sensors, screens, high speed internet connectivity, and processors may be required for Augmented Reality applications. There is a lot of other hardware like HoloLens, Google Glass, and AR headsets.

3. Unavailability of content Imagine that you've got a smartphone but don't have any application to function – How would you feel? Same is the case with AR nowadays. Users may have hardware like Google Glass or HoloLens but they may not know about AR applications to serve the specific purpose. There is a growing demand for such interactive content and organizations are still working on generating highly engaging content for the AR ecosystem.

4. Lack of public awareness Whenever a new technology is introduced, it takes time to get popular. It may take a lot of time for the users to adopt it. Companies aren't still aware of the possibilities AR brings in. They are still hesitant to embrace Augmented Reality.

How Much Does Augmented Reality App Cost?

There's no such crystal ball to make any conclusion for the cost of AR app. Augmented Reality apps come in various shapes and sizes. One major factor that determines the cost of app development is the platform it is built for. eCommerce app based on Augmented reality may cost anything between $50 000 to $250,000 depending on the features and complexity of the app. It can be a practical idea to build an MVP (Minimum viable product) for one platform and keep on improving it.

Related: What makes augmented reality useful for eCommerce store/shopping applications?

Business Potential and AR investments AR is all set to revolutionize the experiences of users to a whole new level. Industry maestros are constantly pouring in funds for developing useful AR apps in the market today. There are a lot of opportunities for mobile and PC apps that are developed using Augmented Reality technology as they make businesses more efficient and productive. Companies that have already adopted AR technology have been enjoying a lot of profits. AR app can increase customer engagement and helps to build brand recognition.

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