Augmented Reality is growing tremendously and actually on the verge of exploding. This trend has contributed to increasing the demand for AR app development. Most mobile app development companies are incorporating augmented and virtual reality in building mobile applications.
Companies are creating AR devices for multiple industries, including healthcare, media & entertainment, eCommerce, and more. The heavy production of AR devices has given a boost to the future scope of mobile app development, which is helping app development companies to do more with mobile apps for different devices.
Augmented reality application has changed how businesses are carried out. Especially in eCommerce, it has streamlined the gap of product reliability by enabling customers to check the products more creatively.
Many companies, including healthcare, fashion, manufacturing, gaming, and entertainment are utilizing augmented reality benefits. People can now view products better than before and communicate with business providers more effectively with their smartphones.
This blog highlights what AR apps are, how AR is boosting the scope of mobile app development, and how AR apps are transforming the way business is done today.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality (AR) is an advanced version that combines the real physical world and digital visual elements, sound, or other sensors via technology. Its dominance is rapidly growing among mobile app development companies.
AR is often known as VR (Virtual reality); however, AR is not virtual reality. Unlike VR, AR usually requires a headset such as an Oculus Rift. AR is enabling app developers and companies to integrate digital information in the real world in mobile applications.
For example, Pokémon Go got the world's attention so quickly due to creating a game app that is mixed with virtual and real-world reality. The uses of augmented reality technology in this game app got 900 million downloads in its initial release and made $1.2 billion in revenue.
What is the Current State of Augmented Reality App Development?
According to the experts of BBC, the market value of AR could be as high as $162 billion by 2024. This rising demand for AR gadgets is contributing to the growth of mobile applications. Android App Development Company is expected to take more advantage as the market is ruled by Android phones.
AR has already started influencing app development around the world. Different sectors, including real estate, finance, and healthcare, are asking for augmented reality mobile app development that can help them in their internal activities.
And it is obvious as the world is ruled by Android and iOS mobile phones, the AR app will need cross-platform development to extend its usage scope.
IKEA is the world's famous furniture manufacturing company, which has launched an augmented reality mobile app that allows its customers to visualize IKEA's products in real-time through mobile phones.
For example, testing how a chair will look in a room - customers can use this app and check how a chair or table looks in their bedroom or hall, etc.
People love the different experiences. Businesses and companies know that a customer likes to interact with their product enthusiastically before they purchase. Therefore, they look for such technology which projects their products and services more amazingly to potential customers.
This is something where business owners can find a route to get ahead of their competitors. AR is considered to define the next level of customer engagement and user experience.
Especially, it could be a game-changer in retail and eCommerce as customers are always looking for a realistic review of products.
How AR is Impacting the Scope of Mobile App Development?
Let’s see how Augmented Reality Mobile Apps are transforming businesses and customer experience.
1. Location-based AR app
Location-based AR app uses the geolocation data in mobile phones to provide the information of a certain location. It enables a user to interact with the world physically with an augmented overlay.
Such location-based AR apps are providing customers with an immersive tour of a city, or find where they parked their car in their nearby location.
2. Improving the in-store experience
Augmented reality mobile apps have the feature to simulate products in actual size in virtual trial rooms, which is giving customers a virtual in-store experience.
In the retail sector, AR mobile apps can allow users to try on clothes by using virtual fitting rooms, saving time and effort. The apps that use augmented reality can also enable the store to showcase more stock than they can physically manage. Augmented reality examples of such apps are Converse, Sephora, and L’Oréal.
3. Enhancing Online Shopping Experience
Customers mostly look for demo videos or videos of unboxing items before they make the decision to buy the same product.
With augmented reality mobile apps, companies and brands can offer visualization and configuration of their product in the real world. This will help them to remove the chances of doubt and abandoned shopping carts.
4. Innovative eLearning Experience
The education sector is undoubtedly going to benefit from AR technology. AR apps can make online education or e-learning more creative and effective. Tutors can use virtual graphics or animations in real-time while interacting with their students.
This innovation in the education sector can truly revolutionize the learning experience. Some of the famous AR apps are ZooBurst and Chromville Science.
5. Unique Social Media App
Snapchat and Musical.ly are the biggest hits in apps that use augmented reality. As people spend more time on their mobile devices and look for interesting apps, mobile app developers can build a unique social media app using AR technology that can guarantee user engagement and the success of the app.
6. Real Estate
The real estate industry is taking maximum advantage of augmented reality business applications. Realtors and real estate agents are using the AR app to sell the benefits of the property. AR is embedded in the mobile app to give potential buyers or tenants a 3D experience of the apartment or flat.
7. Improving brand awareness
AR technology is helping companies to increase their brand awareness. With AR apps, a company can get an edge over its competitors in attracting more customers.
The augmented reality app stands out as a driving force behind mobile app marketing as it helps to attract new customers and retain existing ones.
How much does Augmented Reality Mobile App Development Cost?
So, after understanding the augmented reality scope in the mobile app industry, here’s how much it cost to create an AR app. The AR app development cost depends on mainly these three factors:
- Location - where augmented reality app should be used
- Information - what info a user is supposed to get
- Method - how you are going to provide this solution
Technology that helps AR apps to define a place or certain location involves 2D or 3D image tracking and matching, GPS, gyroscope, compass, accelerometer, face recognition, SLAM (Simultaneous localization and mapping), and location tracking.
The augmented reality information involves 3D model rendering and animation gesture detection mainly in text, picture, video, or audio formats.
There are many tools available to build an augmented reality application. iOS app development companies may charge you depending on what type of Apple devices you want to create on the app such as iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.
Here, our app developers suggest these most common convenient tools if you want to build a lightweight AR app.
ARPA SDKs
ARPA SDK offers a variety of options for enabling visual information such as rendering engine, image multi-detection, providing users with interaction with an image like scaling, rotating. It also offers useful work with geolocation services.
It comes with a commercial plan; however, there is also a free trial version available to try out. It supports Android, iOS, Google Glass, and Windows PC.
ARlab SDKs
The best feature of this tool is that you can add as well as remove POIs (points of interest) without reference to real-time. This comes with a paid license and supports both Android and iOS.
Droid AR
It is an open-source framework that provides adding location-based AR functionality to mobile applications specifically for Android OS. It comes with both free and paid licenses and supports Android only.
Metaio SDK
It offers the same services as ARPA SDKs with some additional features such as QR and barcode scanning for both online and offline visual search. This is a widely-recognized tool and has been acquired by Apple recently.
It supports Android, iOS, Google Glass, Unity, M-100, Epson Moverio BT-200, and Windows.
Vuforia SDK
It provides tools for enabling functions like multi-target detection or virtual buttons. However, this service is valid for only paid license users. It supports Android, iOS, and Unity.
Wikitude SDK
This is also the same as Vuforia SDK that gives you the same features. It supports Android, iOS, PhoneGap, Titanium, Xamarin, Vuzix M-100, Optinvent ORA1, Google Glass, and Epson Moverio
Augmented Reality for Business - What’s Next?
Consumers are using AR apps more enthusiastically than ever. Businesses are taking advantage of augmented reality as a growing technology. AR is helping mobile app development companies and businesses to take user experience to a whole new level.
AR is a flashy technology that can revolutionize smartphones and tablets with extended functionality in mobile applications.
Google and Apple have already acquired their strong place in this market and are adopting the benefits of augmented reality. Moreover, users are expecting more companies to provide extraordinary AR applications.
If you have some great app ideas, it is the right time to get started with AR app development to attract more customers and eventually boost your business revenues.
However, you need to collaborate with a professional AR App Development Company that can ensure your app is built with the latest technology. You can check out the list of the top augmented reality companies in 2021, leading the best AR app development across the world.
By Alekh Verma
CEO and Founder, eSearch Logix Technologies Pvt. Ltd
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