Trend #6 – AR in the automobile industry 

AR has created shockwaves within the automobile industry. A more obvious application of AR functionalities in this domain is via the utilization of heads-up displays (HUDs) which customers will be privy to from their preferred video games and movies. AR HUDs, in contrast, serve a practical application for drivers that enables them to process data that assists their view of the roads, instead of obscuring it. 

The most critical application of an AR HUD for automobile drivers is safety protocol. The HUD can provide information to drivers with regards to possible hazards that might have been glossed over with no sacrifice of attention or blocking their perspective of the roads. Nissan has a trump card up its sleeve. It’s Invisible-to-Visible (I2V) technology currently utilizes AR and AI to provide drivers information about the possibility of hazards, like objects in the vicinity that are obstructing their pathway. It can also refocus a driver’s concentration to the road ahead if they begin to lose it. 

Apart from AR’s usage in driving, AR can also be utilized for automobile marketing. BMW and Accenture, in collaboration, developed an AR app that enables clients to get a feel for a brand-new car in their driveway without having to go the brick-and-mortar retail store. They can also get a feel for the actual version of the car by skinning the digitized version in the various color options available. 

An especially fascinating instance of AR development in the automobile industry is Volvo’s utilization of the Varjo XR-1 MR headset to present digital objects to a driver while they are travelling. This has useful implications for a driver’s education, as it can potentially be utilized to prep drivers to stop and look for digital hazards that come up in front of them. This tech can also be utilized to display new automobiles to clients. 

Trend #7 – Portable Augmented Reality 

AR provides tangible conveniences on a smartphone device, but in its present format, it’s not as comfortable for shoppers and daily tech customers. Pointing or holding up a smartphone can be somewhat distracting and in addition, cuts back on the immersive-ness aspect of an AR experience. AR experienced via a headset is drastically better to seeing simulated objects via a mobile camera. 

Headsets such as Microsoft’s HoloLens, however, and the Varjo XR-1 are too inconvenient in terms of size – in addition, they cost a lot, and as a result, are out of reach for non-business clients in their present format. The speed of progression has left a lot to be desired, but the industry is slowly working towards considering AR headsets under the ‘wearables’ category – much like the several products in the wearables industry today, like smartbands, fitness trackers, and earphones. 

After AR headsets have become a more palatable proposition with regards to price, comfort, and social acceptance, AR’s value and demand will escalate in proportion. Several companies are producing AR glasses that would be more viable for a client to utilize. Apple Glass is a purported client-focused AR glasses undertaking, in the pipeline. It is estimated that this technology will be released sometime during the next few years. ARtillery Intelligence has reported that the market for this tech will appreciate from USD 822 million to USD 13.4 billion in 2024.  

AR is on the cusp of a revelation, much like VR. It may take a number of years before they can be considered a major market force. But the blueprint for this success and proliferation is there. The wheels are in motion. Once everything falls into place, AR glasses and related technologies will be a key driver of the industry. 

Trend #8 – Augmented Reality Events 

AR can drastically improve in-person and digital events like career exhibitions and sporting events. This can be achieved through the utilization of dedicated apps or via WebAR solutions. WebAR provide a breakthrough in AR technologies in that you don’t need any specialist equipment to view WebAR deployments, merely your smartphone device and a web browser software are adequate. AR events can impart one-of-a-kind experiences to the people in attendance, in addition to giving them a way to amuse themselves and interact with one another taking into account the social distancing protocol in place, almost everywhere. 

AR-driven Career events 

Conventionally speaking, career-related exhibitions have always required physical attendance, or take place through software such as Zoom conferencing. AR-powered career exhibitions, though, for example – the Pot Noodles Virtual Careers Fair have been put out by Aircards in conjunction with GradBay. 

The career fair that was supposed to be conducted was subjected to cancellation owing to public health concerns because of the COVID-19 virus. The outcome of the project generated an AR career experience with no dearth of immersion, and anybody who wished to do so could target their smartphone at a big, flat, outdoor space. 

Videos could be viewed on displays on the digital tables that enumerate in further detail about that specific graduate career and businesses. The icing on the cake, the experience was driven by Web AR, which meant that no application downloads were required. WebAR is easier to use which can be vital for marketing reasons.  

Due to being the biggest platform, WebAR, which has 3.04 billion compatible devices at its disposal, is shockingly, still in nascent stages but crucial shifts are already taking brands in that route. 

AR in sporting events 

WebAR is also being extensively deployed in sporting events industry with organizations such as the 8th Wall providing unique experiences via QR codes which can improve marketing strategies via interactive AR content. AR can also be utilized to develop holograms or sports players that clients can interact with from the comfort of their own houses. 

VR has been deployed previously within this space, but it has not been able to furnish an enhanced experience than physical attendance of matches. AR has, in its place, taken pole position due to its ease of use. AR experiences are capable on more accessible hardware such as mobile phones, whereas on the other hand, VR is tied down to the utilization of big, bad, bulky headsets. VR has some way to go before it can become a lighter experience (literally!) for audiences. 

MLB is a major business in the U.S.A. They have been looking into their options for application of their innovative Hawk-eye baseball tracking and analytics information to AR experiences. Through ownership of accurate data with regards to where players and the ball are on the field at all times in an event, AR delivery in a digital space can be achieved with an improved degree of accuracy and realism through the utilization of such kinds of data. It seems probably that information from other sporting disciplines such as football, golf, and others, could utilize a similar technique to furnish AR experiences to the craving fans. 

Trend #9 – AR in remote education 

Academic institutions have been the most impacted by the policies enforced on account of COVID-19. AR, however, has various applications that can enhance learning experiences for students. Wikitude has developed an application for scholars called Ai . R – Cord. This application aims to assist elementary school students in digesting concepts with the help of AR experiences.  

The possibilities of AR to improve student concentration on academic content at home, cannot be downplayed. This tech also renders learning experiences from home more diverse by providing visually-oriented content for visually-oriented learners. This can assist in breaking up video conferencing, which has a tendency to get tedious, and accelerate engagement in the process. 

One of the main benefits conferred by AR onto the academic space is the capacity for a scholar to evaluate a model from various perspectives by themselves. By means of manipulating a digital object or rotating it in space, they can evaluate in detail and comprehend concepts and theories. Most critically, it confers the advantage of at-home experiential learning. This type of learning is likelier to be remembered and comprehended by students in comparison to other models. 

Trend #10 – LiDAR 

LiDAR tech has been witnessing improved compatibility on customer devices like the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max, in addition to 2020’s variant of the iPad Pro. The trend of LiDAR being deployed on the scale of customer devices provides a broad range of probabilities for AR tech in the year 2021. 

LiDAR’s inclusion into Apple’s product portfolio commenced with the iPad Pro in 2020. It should be specified that the scanner has also made its way into the iPhone 12 Pro, clients now can access to one of the most progressive portable AR solutions in the market today. 

A critical opportunity that LiDAR bestows is people occlusion. This enables AR experiences with additional immersion, enabling individuals in the frame to occlude digital objects. Onboarding, or prepping a scene to be populated with digital objects, is another critical step for AR that LiDAR significantly enhances. This enables digital objects to be located in a scenehe in a swifter fashion as information from the sensors can be processed more rapidly.  

LiDAR’s inclusion into an increasing number of portable platforms reinforces the production of increasingly comfortable and portable facially-mounted AR gadgets such as eyeglasses. 

Industry Perspectives 

With AR’s worth in the market appreciating to a staggering 25 billion USD in the next four years, AR has a considerable future. This appreciation will only persist in the coming years, determined by investments from several industry domains.  

Gaming holds dominion over the highest portion of the industry’s revenue, and will stay a relevant force behind the proliferation of AR. Practical use cases of AR like those from the healthcare and engineering domains will also gain importance. 

Navigating real estate and corporate campuses will reap great advantages from AR technologies and interactive walkthroughs. These can utilize MR or AR environments. Mobile AR stays a crucial tool.  

Implementing these AR breakthroughs is succeeded by a continuous cycle of product evolution, delivery, and integration with current ecosystems. AR is a significant investment for companies to focus their efforts on.