Augmented reality has been all the rage since Pokemon Go went viral, but are you working with an augmented reality app idea or product yet? If not, you’re missing out on what could be one of the most lucrative marketing trends of the next several years.
Not sure where to begin? Here are 10 top augmented reality app ideas that we know entrepreneurs would love to hear about.
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality is best described as a blend of real-life with virtual components. Unlike virtual reality, it does not create an entirely new environment but rather combines existing environments with digital content. To provide users with an augmented experience, AR technology uses your smartphone’s camera to combine computer-generated images with what you see in front of you.
By leveraging consumer devices like smartphones or tablets, which are inexpensive to procure and easy to use, AR provides a low-cost way to engage customers or employees. Though there aren’t many hard statistics on its usage in business today, we can expect to see its adoption increase significantly as AR technology becomes more refined over time.
1. Use AR to Find Movies and Shows
Many smartphone users like to find movies and shows using their mobile devices, but with so many options available—and so much information packed into these apps—it can be a bit overwhelming.
The solution? AR. With AR, you can use your smartphone camera to overlay showtimes and reviews on top of physical posters. You’ll also be able to look through hours of content in seconds instead of minutes. Use your screen as a virtual window into what’s playing now and discover which titles are worth checking out; AR makes it easy to compare multiple movies side-by-side, allowing you to make an informed decision quickly.
2. Geotagged Notifications
Geotagged notifications are an easy way to get users to interact with your app in a passive manner. If a user receives an alert while they’re near one of your business locations, they may be more likely to stop by than if you sent them a notification that didn’t feel relevant. Location tracking apps like Foursquare have seen success with geotagged notifications, which is why many other businesses are following suit.
The idea is simple—notify people when they arrive at or leave a specific location. This could be anything from getting discounts when checking into certain stores or being notified about special events taking place at local venues.
3. AR Drawing App
So why would you use an AR drawing app? Well, if you have a team in two different locations or don’t have enough materials to make drawings on paper, it’s an excellent alternative. It can also be helpful when you want to show off your vision of a concept without being able to physically show everyone involved.
With AR drawing apps, We can see what works (and what doesn’t) almost instantly by seeing how people interact with it.
4. Augmented Task Management Tools
Task management is one of those apps that can easily be tied to any business. Task managers are designed to help you keep track of what needs to get done, who it’s assigned to, when it’s due and how much progress has been made. The beauty of augmented task management tools is that they don’t just make traditional task management easier, they also put a wealth of information at your fingertips through augmented reality (AR).
By overlaying key data on real-world objects in view of your device camera, AR allows you to truly experience an app from every angle.
5. Use AR for Business Presentations
One of augmented reality’s (AR) most promising uses is in business, especially when it comes to presenting your product or service. Instead of reading from a slide deck, you can walk around with an AR headset on and walk potential clients through your business. This gives potential clients a better sense of how your product works or what problem it solves.
And unlike VR, which must be viewed from inside a headset, AR can be viewed without any special glasses on by simply looking at an object. Even if you don’t use AR for presentations, there are other ways to integrate it into everyday work: try incorporating it into software training or conference calls so that employees working remotely can still participate in group meetings.
6. Construction Applications
Construction companies can use augmented reality to reduce time, cost, and energy spent in their operations. They can add another dimension to construction planning, which helps save resources while reducing the risk of failure.
Large projects can be planned faster than ever before by showing constructors exactly where construction should take place, with no doubt left as to what needs to be done.
Examples of practical applications include creating an accurate walkthrough of a site prior to construction or improving efficiency by ensuring that only necessary materials are ordered. Construction companies such as BetonMe are using augmented reality in their work to improve safety protocols and company performance overall.
7. Mobile Gaming
Over 50% of online game spending takes place on mobile devices. The ubiquity of smartphones makes them a natural fit for gaming; not only do people always have their phones with them but also games are ideal for killing time on public transportation or while waiting in line. But it’s not just casual gamers who can benefit from creating an AR app; AAA game studios like Disney and Activision Blizzard have successfully used augmented reality to bring new levels of immersion to their blockbusters.
If you have an existing game that would benefit from AR functionality, investing in AR development is a good idea—it will create additional content and keep your users engaged as they wait for your next title to come out.
8. Social Apps to Augment Videos
Social platforms are now being used to create virtual sets that place text, videos, or images directly on top of an image or video. Video tutorials using augmented reality have become a huge hit in classrooms around the world with 69% of teachers surveyed reporting that students who use AR technology to record their own learning progress have shown significant growth.
Among students who used augmented it was 30%. In addition to video-sharing apps such as YouTube, other social media sites such as Snapchat and Instagram now offer similar features.
With everything from music to shopping and games integrated into these social networks, it makes sense why they’re quickly becoming the top choice among brands when they decide to launch a new product.
9. Use AR to Identify Plants and Animals
The software can help identify plants and animals and other objects or information in your surroundings, but it also takes things a step further and lets you control certain things in AR.
For example, if you’re looking at an object through your camera viewfinder that has an app linked to it, you can move that object around your screen with simple hand gestures. For more practical use cases, apps like Yelp now let you access their content via AR by holding up a sign on which they have posted codes to identify what kind of information is on there.
The same goes for museum exhibits where special glasses allow visitors to look at artifacts in 3D.
10. Use AR in Education for Hands-On Learning
In recent years, there’s been an explosion of mobile apps that help students learn in a hands-on way through augmented reality.
Education is among one of AR’s most exciting areas because it applies technology in a way that has never been done before. It engages users, allowing them to visualize concepts in ways they may not have experienced with textbooks or traditional teaching methods. This section details some innovative education apps that make learning fun for kids, teens, and adults!
Conclusion
It’s easy to get excited about augmented reality – it seems like a great leap forward for all technology, not just apps. But it is important to remember that these types of technologies can be complex, expensive, and time-consuming to produce. If you are thinking about creating your own augmented reality app, you can consult and hire mobile app developers having expertise in creating such apps.