If you’re new to the word or need a reminder, here’s what it means: The amazing trends in augmented reality like the metaverse a virtual world that is overlaid on top of the actual world. We will be able to occupy virtual places in the shape of an avatar that looks just like us or show up as a hologram in our friend’s living room (or at the workplace, or at a café) one day, thanks to metaverse-friendly gadgets like mobile apps and smart glasses. Non-fungible tokens (or NFTs) will be critical in the metaverse, both in terms of how we access it and, perhaps more crucially, what we may own there.
Here are 8 upcoming trends in Augmented Reality;
1. Augmented Reality NFTs and The Metaverse
If you’re new to the word or need a reminder, here’s what it means: The metaverse is a virtual world that is overlaid on top of the actual world. We will be able to occupy virtual places in the shape of an avatar that looks just like us or show up as a hologram in our friend’s living room (or at the workplace, or at a café) one day, thanks to metaverse-friendly gadgets like mobile apps and smart glasses. Non-fungible tokens (or NFTs) will be critical in the metaverse, both in terms of how we access it and, perhaps more crucially, what we may own there.
NFTs are digital one-of-a-kind assets that represent ownership of one-of-a-kind goods such as digital artwork, limited-edition shoes, essays, and in-game items. Some NFTs include AR features, giving the user a fully immersive experience which is innovative trends in augmented reality. (For instance, allowing people to perceive a digital object in their surroundings or on their body.)
We observed a number of brands trying NFTs last year. For example, Nolan Bushnell, the inventor of Atari, launched NFT arcade cabinets that consumers could watch in 3D in the comfort of their own homes. Similarly, Original Penguin, American heritage and sportswear business, auctioned off eight NFT penguin avatars that consumers could see in AR before purchasing them.
Last year, Dolce & Gabbana published “Collezione Genesi,” an AR wearables NFT collection that brought in about $6 million for the company. While some of the objects in the collection were tangible (but had a virtual equivalent), others, such as “The Impossible Tiara,” were only available online. Meanwhile, State Farm conducted a virtual treasure hunt in which users could use their phones to discover 500,000 footballs and trade them for NFCs, gift cards, and signed stuff.
It was no longer visible to other players once a user discovered a football in a game, and all players who completed the first level of the game received an NFT plus a chance to win other limited-edition examples. If last year’s level of activity in these areas is any indication, we may expect more brands to launch NFTs in 2023 as the metaverse gets closer to reality.
2. Heads-Up Display
Drivers, on the other hand, may benefit from AR in various ways. It might be used to offer drivers a heads-up display (HUD) via a headset, allowing them to see safety information without obscuring their view. This type of device, as well as comparable non-headset-based systems, can assist keep drivers focused on the road by providing audio reminders. The Volvo Varjo XR-1 headgear is being utilized in a proof-of-concept augmented reality driver’s education system that can teach drivers how to react defensively to objects that appear on the road without the danger of the thing really being there.
3. AR-Powered Meetings
The utilization of metaverse technology to change the way we work through teleconferencing and hybrid meetings was one of Meta’s primary pitches with its rebranding. The ultimate objective is to break down the limits of standard Zoom video conferencing and reintroduce the third dimension, as well as human expression and inclusivity, to the discourse.
Microsoft Mesh is a HoloLens-based project that enables hybrid meetings using VR and AR elements. By seeing their cartoon avatar or a floating box with their video camera, users may see other teleconferencing users in 3D space.
4. Self-Service E-commerce Platforms
Big brands aren’t the only ones investing in 3D/AR technologies. Individual merchants and small enterprises may now generate trends in augmented reality product previews using self-service e-commerce systems like Shopify.
While Shopify first released its augmented reality functionality in 2018, the e-commerce platform has lately increased its focus on AR integration. Shopify has made this previously obscure (and expensive) technology ubiquitous by spotlighting firms who currently (effectively) utilize it and sharing papers and research that demonstrate the usefulness of AR in e-commerce.
5. Mobile Augmented Reality
Mobile trends in augmented reality offer a number of distinct features that have made it the focus of most of the industry’s attention. By their very nature, mobile devices are incredibly portable and easy to bring into almost any place. Many consumers already have an AR-capable smartphone, so they won’t need to go out of their way to purchase expensive and large headgear.
Improving mobile device hardware is a major trends in augmented reality business. Apple’s well-known LiDAR sensor can be found in the iPhone 12 Pro, 12 Pro Max, 13 Pro, and 13 Pro Max handsets, as well as the iPad Pro. Smartphones like Apple’s can estimate the depth of scenes with greater precision than ever before thanks to infrared lasers. This might enable scene analysis for AR experiences more accurate than ever before.
6. Augmented Reality Shopping Experiences
In the retail industry, trends in augmented reality have a lot of potential. Store mapping is one of these prospects that is presently being achieved. On-screen guidance can assist a person to explore the layout of a business to find the item they need using augmented reality.
7. Augmented Reality and Remote Assistance
According to Owl Labs, approximately 70% of full-time professionals in the United States would work from home by 2020, with video conferencing serving as the lifeblood of telework.
When we utilize video conferencing, we lose a whole dimension of context, going into two-dimensional space instead of three-dimensional space. Trends in augmented reality software can help restore that lost dimension of space to the dialogue at least partially.
8. Live Stream Shopping
Live stream shopping is upcoming trends in augmented reality, which is already popular in China and is now sweeping the Western globe. It’s being widely utilized by firms to promote and sell items via e-commerce applications and social media platforms like Amazon Live and Instagram Live, according to Sprout Social, which describes it as “a mix between a video stream, variety show, and group chat.”
Influencers who show and discuss a product usually lead these shoppable live streams. In real-time, the audience may ask them questions and engage with them (for example, by asking for each other’s thoughts). Hosting shoppable live broadcasts has a variety of advantages for companies, including the opportunity to eliminate (or at least reduce) physical locations and speed up the selling process.
