Feb 2019
Imagine a city where visually impaired individuals can navigate streets guided by invisible digital waypoints. Or a factory floor where workers can see step-by-step instructions floating before their eyes.
The global AR market is projected to reach $97.76 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 48.6% from 2021 to 2028 (Grand View Research, 2021). What’s driving this growth? It may have started with the race to digital transformation, but tech disruption and intelligent advancement keep fueling opportunity.
It seems evident that COVID-19 fast-tracked AR adoption, opening new realms of possibility:
However, the race may have accelerated with the added go-to-market competition of Apple’s reimagined spatial computing.
Toolkits like Google’s ARCore offer developers a range of out-of-the-box AR:
These advancements mean businesses can create more sophisticated AR experiences without reinventing the wheel, significantly reducing development time and costs. But the real magic happens when AR intersects with other cutting-edge technologies.
This dynamic duo is opening doors to intelligent, responsive applications where AR has advanced capabilities:
The Internet of Things (IoT) provides the data, while AR delivers the visualization:
With the ability to integrate digital elements into our physical reality, AR reimagines how we do business. Beyond innovation, it can create opportunities for inclusivity and empathy in our engagement with the world.
AR is giving us advanced abilities to perceive our environment. Smartphone-attached AR digital products can be used in areas such as building inspections and wildlife conservation. For example, Flir One Edge Pro enables users to visualize heat signatures that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye.
AR also allows us to visualize the potential outcomes of our decisions—like future purchases. Toyota’s collaboration with Yahoo Advertising lets consumers virtually test drive the 2023 Toyota Crown. Imagine extending this concept to strategic planning, where executives can visualize and navigate through different business scenarios before making crucial decisions.
AR literally has the power to put us in someone else’s shoes. Imagine designers experiencing their products from the perspective of users with different abilities or healthcare professionals seeing the world through their patients’ eyes. This empathy-enhancing capability of AR could improve inclusive design and personalized care.
As sustainability becomes increasingly crucial, AR offers tools to better understand it. The technology could show designers the future environmental impact of their product choices, from carbon footprint to water usage, making sustainability an integral part of the design process rather than an afterthought.
Advances in AR can make the world more navigable and engaging for people with various disabilities. For example, Microsoft’s Seeing AI app provides real-time sign language interpretation, magnifies text, and filters sensory inputs.
InspiringApps’ own work with QuivAR™ demonstrates how AR can transform even highly specialized fields. By overlaying digital information onto real-world archery targets, QuivAR™ is supercharging how enthusiasts and experts train. This application embodies the broader potential of AR: enhancing skills, deepening understanding, and opening up new possibilities in even the most traditional practices.
The future of AR has incredible potential for positive change. But it’s not all rose-colored glasses.
AR headsets are still evolving. The quest for all-day wearable AR glasses is about reimagining how we interact with digital information daily in real time.
Protecting data collected through AR experiences is crucial. Protecting user privacy in AR experiences goes beyond compliance. Data ethics provide an opportunity to build trust and showcase your brand’s commitment to ethical technology use.
Minimizing distractions in AR isn’t just about safety—it’s about creating seamless experiences that enhance rather than interrupt human interactions.
Balancing implementation expenses with clear ROI is a key step. Instead of focusing solely on costs, consider how AR can create new value streams and enhance customer experiences in previously unimaginable ways.
AR isn’t one-size-fits-all. The need for tailored AR solutions is an invitation to deeply understand and serve your unique market needs.
As a business leader, embracing AR means more than adopting new technology. It means cultivating a vision for how AR can benefit everyone. Here’s how to lead the charge:
Above all, we find that empathy is the most important aspect of many design and development projects. Listening to others, the market, and our users and finding ways to be even more inclusive will ultimately lead to success, especially when facing and adapting to tech disruption.
How could AR transform your business operations? What unique customer experiences could you create with this technology? The future of AR is being written now—how will you contribute to its story?
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