From augmented to extended reality- Apple, Google and Facebook are on a huge immersive tech drive
Augmented Reality (AR) is a highly talked about technology these days that superimposes graphics digitally in the real world It focuses majorly to infuse its technologies into the world’s tech giants like Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Google. All of them have highlighted the vast use of AR and its expanse at their annual developer conferences. It is a potent technology that has become a new avenue for computers to interact across the world.
Today, just by waving their phones in front of shop front windows, people can easily view the digital menus of that very restaurant or they can also see how their new idea of designing a room will look in their living rooms. It is just like visualizing a thought or an idea right in front of your eyes. The company interests are on a huge potential drive each day and the AR-related sales are likely to exceed $80 billion by 2022 as per the report of Woodside Capital, an investment bank.
However, there are some lucrative challenges before the AR business hits the market. Just a year ago Google and Facebook were handling another phase of AR that is Virtual Reality. But, its slow sales in headsets like Facebook’s Oculus Rift Show are far from being must-haves owing to certain obstacles like lack of definite reasons to use them, rice factor and the hassle of wearing bulky VR gear. This is where AR makes its approach profitable as users do not require to drain their hundreds of dollars on its new computing gear. Just with their current smartphones and cameras, they can use this application. For instance, most youngsters like Snapchat where clicking pictures is not sufficient for them. So, they desire to add on them by applying fancy graphics such as a fly or a flow and so on. AR has made it possible. Also, with the use of Google’s language translation app people can translate texts simply by pointing their smartphone cameras at the mark to be translated.
Companies like Facebook and Google, to succeed with AR-based plans they seek the help of outside developers to design compelling AR apps for their product marketing. This will not only reap the benefits of a new generation phase of apps but also keep users attached to their respective platforms. As AR is a new concept to mainstream developers so creating websites or smartphone apps require a standardized way to build an AR strategy app that can last summer’s blockbuster mobile game – Pokémon Go that will help people to fight with digital monsters superimposed in the real world.
Google, Apple, Facebook and Microsoft have unleashed their AR tools each claiming to create AR apps easier. Some of them have positives while others have drawbacks. For an instance, Google had a headstart by launching its Project Tango AR software kit in the year 2014. It was the first among the other giant tech companies to release such software. Visitors can use smartphones to look at exhibits and see extras such as a digital skeleton inside an ancient dinosaur. However, this project was limited to the Lenovo Phab 2 Pro and the Asus ZenFone AR that were not mainstream like Samsung and iPhones.
Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained this year in April that his company’s AR tools have pitched their way for other potent developers forcing them to build AR apps within Facebook. This will have the ability to send digital messages for people at their favourite local bars. Facebook claims to make it easier for developers to build AR apps with the help of its custom software that does not require specialized smartphones. Meanwhile, Apple debuted ARKit – it’s own AR toolkit for easy coding to build AR apps for iPads and iPhones.
However, there has been increased competition cited from other big tech companies like Google. Although Apple has a long track of ushering a wave of mobile video games for regular game players, so by pushing Apple into AR there might be an AR-developed app market that will compete with Google and Facebook. There remains a doubt as to how long and to what extent will these big tech companies work to attract developers to build AR apps for their services. Besides, there is no guarantee that every people will use them because it is not a necessity for each person to use cameras on their PCs and enjoy the view of artificial digital images overlaid on the physical world.
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