The Top 9 Augmented Reality Trends You Need to Follow in 2024
Today, in various different areas of our lives, we owe a lot to augmented reality (AR).
Considered one of the brightest technology building blocks of the future, AR has great potential as it can be evaluated in different ways in many different fields and gained greater momentum than expected as the social distancing rules that came with the pandemic.
Key Takeaways
AR Technology and Functionality: AR relies on a combination of hardware, software, and sensors. Devices like smartphones and AR headsets capture the physical environment while sensors gather data on the user's position and orientation, enabling real-time interaction between the virtual and real worlds.
Current AR Trends: AR is increasingly influencing various sectors, including mobile devices, automotive, education, healthcare, remote assistance, indoor navigation, retail, and even the emerging field of NFTs. These trends highlight AR’s growing role in enhancing user experiences across industries.
AR and AI Synergy: The convergence of AR and generative AI, as exemplified by OpenAI's GPT-4o, is pushing the boundaries of AR's capabilities. This integration is making AR more interactive, personalized, and accessible, accelerating its adoption in mainstream applications.
Practical Applications: AR is not only reshaping entertainment but also improving safety in automotive settings, making education more engaging, enhancing healthcare services, and transforming retail and eCommerce by providing immersive, personalized shopping experiences.
Future of AR: As AR continues to evolve, its integration into daily life and business practices is expected to grow, offering competitive advantages in areas like online shopping and customer engagement. The technology's potential is vast, promising continued innovation and new opportunities in the years ahead.
What is Augmented Reality and How Does It Work?
Augmented reality (AR) blends virtual data created in a computer environment with the real world, that can be experienced through our senses. This virtual data, including images, animations, 3D models, videos, and graphics, is projected into the real world in real-time.
AR operates using a combination of hardware, software, and sensors. It starts with a device, like a smartphone or AR headset, which is equipped with a camera and sensors. The camera captures the physical world around the user, while the sensors gather information about the user's position and orientation.
Augmented Reality Statistics
The global augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and mixed reality (MR) market reached 28 billion USD in 2021 and is expected to exceed 250 billion USD by 2028.
In 2024, the most important use cases for AR/VR are expected to be VR gaming, VR video/feature, and VR gaming with a market volume of 17.6 billion USD.
32% of AR/VR hardware users say cumbersome devices and frequent technical glitches have distracted them from this technological experience. Find out more augmented reality statistics.
Find out more augmented reality statistics.
Top Augmented Reality Trends
Today in various different areas of our lives, we owe a lot to augmented reality (AR).
Considered one of the brightest technology building blocks of the future, AR has great potential as it can be evaluated in different ways in many different fields and gained greater momentum than expected as the social distancing rules that came with the pandemic.
Many businesses aiming for the future have already started using augmented reality. We have compiled for you 8 augmented reality trends for 2023, let’s take a look at them in this blog post.
1. AR in Mobile Devices
We are living in a “mobile-first” age. Almost all of us have at least one smartphone. In other words, we can say that we all have a pocket AR, just like a pocket watch. Cool and expensive glasses or futuristic equipment like virtual reality headsets are hardly a necessity in the augmented reality universe.
For this reason, AR features with high accessibility are frequently encountered in mobile applications. For example, Snapchat and Instagram provide AR and 3D filters that allow their users to entertain themselves and enjoy gamified interactions. Entertainment accessible to all helps AR to keep its cool side and attract the attention of all age groups.
Not only in the entertainment industry but also in the eCommerce area, mobile AR creates lots of different opportunities. It is possible to say that businesses that offer mobile AR solutions to their customers through their own applications or websites are rewarded with better conversion and engagement.
2. AR in Automotive Industry
Having significant effects on driving safety, AR achieves this by using object detection and scene analysis. AR in automobiles is expected to have a value of $673 billion by 2025.
The giants of the industry did not ignore these pluses. Nissan has developed Invisible-to-Visible (I2V) with AR and AI. This makes drivers aware of potential hazards like nearby objects and redirects drivers’ focus to the road if they are not concentrated. AR can be very helpful for safety because it may decrease the number of accidents and drivers can drive comfortably.
Also, BMW developed an AR application for customers to experience a new car in driveways without going to the dealership.
3. AR in Education
It has been said for years that the current theory-based education system has problems. A solution that is more interactive and gives children the power to imagine comes again with AR. Children often enjoy learning new experiences and technology, so AR is motivating students to learn and makes the classes more entertaining and engaging.
In 4D Anatomy, students can explore more than 2,000 anatomical structures and discover 20 different dissection specimens of real anatomy.
They can improve their understanding of anatomy by manipulating and observing virtual 3D objects from different angles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AjxGqzqQ54&ab_channel=TEDxTalks
Teachers can use AR to block out distractions and make them focus on the lessons. Since AR has become more accessible and affordable, instead of buying physical supplies, AR might become even more cost-effective for schools in the future.
4. AR in Healthcare
Augmented reality promises improved health services and an augmented quality of life. Especially under the pandemic conditions, the decrease in close contact with the patients limited specific interventions. Today, the spread of telesurgery applications in order to improve remote patient support can be achieved thanks to AR.
In addition to that, AR is already used in education for patients and doctors and simulations for surgeries and diseases to enhance patient treatments. For example, AccuVein uses projection-based AR, which scans a patient's body and shows doctors the exact location of veins.
This improves the injection of the vein on the first stick by 3.5 times and reduces the need to call for assistance by 45%.
5. AR in Remote Assistance
We are already used to working in our spacious balconies, in our study rooms designed according to our pleasure. The concept of remote working, which became the new normal with the pandemic, makes video conferencing applications an indispensable part of our routines.
According to Owl Labs, in 2020 nearly 70% of workers in the US working full time, work from home. But how can it be the same experience as working together in an actual office environment? Again, the answer is hiding in AR.
MobiDev has introduced a remote assistance demo that uses augmented reality. IT specialists guide customers using on-screen directions. The customer can show their computer that it needs to be fixed with their smartphone camera, and the IT technician can assist the customer’s concern by drawing over the screen.
With AR, it will be easy to continue and improve customer service and support during telework.
6. AR in Indoor Navigation
Until the miracle of GPS is within the four walls, especially in complex interiors such as shopping malls, airports, and hospitals, analyzing the location and getting directions can become so time-consuming that it reduces the quality of life.
Enhanced indoor navigation, which provides great convenience for both the consumer and the manufacturer, can help to eliminate location-related problems to a large extent.
MoviDev’s ARKit and ARCore-based indoor navigation demo may help consumers find their way through airports, shopping malls, and other locations to resolve this issue.
These technologies provide indoor visitors’ locations accurately and can also design virtual paths and arrows that navigate people in the store.
7. AR in Retail and Shopping
The Covid-19 pandemic deeply affected all sectors, but it is obvious that the effect on areas that have direct contact with customers such as retail and shopping is more profound. Today, we can say that utilizing AR in shopping experiences and eCommerce is a win-win trend for both customers and brands.
AR and virtual try-on technologies, which offer customers close-contact store experiences wherever they are, work to eliminate the negative aspects of online shopping such as product returns.
More than 60% of shoppers preferred to shop by using AR, and 46% of shop owners are positive about the transition to an AR/ VR solution.
With artlabs, customers can try virtual shoes, decorations, and accessories so that they can have a more personalized, gamified experience with the product before purchasing.
This also benefits businesses as they can showcase their products on this platform. As a result, companies can reduce product returns and achieve higher satisfaction rates and brand loyalty along with an increase in conversion rates.
8. AR in NFTs
Today, most of the games that offer their own in-game economy with Blockchain are on the way to offering AR and VR experiences by preparing themselves for the metaverse.
While increasing the use cases of augmented reality via new digital ownership rights, AR NFTs offer a wider range of possibilities and utility to users.
We're sure you remember Pokemon Go. Although it is not connected with NFTs, it quickly became popular around the world as a good example of a game with location-based AR.
Now, AR NFTs that are attached to physical objects, location-based AR NFTs, and AR NFTs in gaming are all on the horizon for the gaming industry. Do not forget to take a look at our latest AR NFT article!
9. AR and AI Come Together
Recent advancements in generative AI technologies for text, code, image, and video generation have already demonstrated significant potential in enhancing AR content creation. Now, these opportunities are expanding rapidly. In case you missed it, OpenAI recently introduced GPT-4o, their new multi-modal AI model, which integrates real-time video and audio with existing text interactions, offering a more natural and fluid human-AI interaction experience.
The potential for these generative AI tools to propel AR into mainstream adoption is immense, even with their current capabilities. Consider the Meta Ray-Ban glasses, for instance. Paired with your smartphone, these glasses can fully integrate with an AI assistant, offering real-time overlays for navigation, translation, retail recommendations, and more—all tailored to your preferences and needs.
How can I integrate 3D & AR into my online shop?
Financesonline says integrating augmented reality into business processes, marketing campaigns, and customer services may lead to a competitive advantage in online shopping and e-commerce.
By providing an interactive and immersive experience before purchasing, customers can know which product suits them best.
Of course, AR promises much more than these 8 trends we counted, both for 2023 and in the future. Maybe you're upset that you've missed these trends already but it is not too late.
Transform your eCommerce into an AR commerce shop within minutes. It has never been this easy.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What role does AR play in the automotive industry?
AR is increasingly being integrated into vehicles to enhance driving safety by providing real-time object detection, scene analysis, and driver assistance. For example, Nissan’s Invisible-to-Visible (I2V) technology uses AR to alert drivers to potential hazards. Additionally, AR is used in applications like BMW's virtual car test drives, allowing customers to experience vehicles without visiting a dealership.
How is AR transforming education?
AR is making education more interactive and engaging by allowing students to explore complex subjects through immersive experiences. For example, apps like 4D Anatomy enable students to manipulate and study virtual 3D models of anatomical structures, enhancing their understanding and making learning more dynamic.
In what ways is AR being used in healthcare?
AR is improving healthcare by providing tools for remote assistance, telesurgery, and medical education. Technologies like AccuVein, which uses AR to visualize veins for more accurate injections, are already making significant impacts on patient care. AR also aids in medical training by offering realistic simulations of surgeries and medical procedures.
How does AR enhance remote work and assistance?
AR is bridging the gap between physical and remote work environments by enabling more interactive and effective remote assistance. For instance, IT specialists can guide customers through troubleshooting by drawing over the screen via AR, improving the quality of customer service and support during telework.
What are the benefits of AR in indoor navigation?
AR enhances indoor navigation by providing accurate location tracking and virtual directions within complex spaces like shopping malls, airports, and hospitals. This technology helps users find their way more efficiently, improving the overall experience in large, unfamiliar environments.
How is AR influencing the retail and shopping experience?
AR is revolutionizing retail by offering virtual try-ons and personalized shopping experiences, reducing product returns, and increasing customer satisfaction. By allowing customers to interact with products in a more immersive way before purchasing, AR is boosting conversion rates and brand loyalty.
