There are many Augmented Reality trends that have been seen in the past few years. One of the most significant changes is the increasing use of augmented reality in businesses. More and more companies are using Augmented Reality to train their employees and to showcase their products. Additionally, the education sector is also beginning to use augmented reality to create more immersive and interactive learning experiences. Another trend that has been gaining traction is the use of Augmented Reality for marketing purposes. Many brands are now using Augmented Reality to create interactive experiences that allow customers to try out products before they buy them. Lastly, social media platforms are also beginning to incorporating Augmented Reality into their offerings. For example, Snapchat has introduced filters that use Augmented Reality to change the user’s appearance. These are just some of the ways in which Augmented Reality is changing the world as we know it.
Augmented reality has a significant effect on many industries. It has a considerable impact on retail, gaming, and the entertainment industry. Additionally, it has brought improvements in the digital arena since the beginning of the pandemic. More people are inclined towards working, learning, and into other activities.
The AR industry has sped up the process of innovation, and it is bringing fast growth in these industries. Some of the trends that have changed the lives are as follow:
Remote video collaboration and face filters:
Due to the pandemic, daily activities have huge effects as everything has become remote. The many major tech companies such as Google, Amazon and Microsoft has allowed people to work from home. This has become a trend this year and will continue indefinitely for a considerable period.
Many technology companies such as Zoom, Google, and Microsoft have introduced a conferencing app, which became one of the significant popularity in 2020. Additionally, there were around 62 million downloads just only in March. Working and studying in a remote environment made many people uncomfortable with their physical appearance, which was proved through research. At the same time, many other people felt the “zoom fatigue” from being on a video call for a considerable time.
The use of virtual backgrounds and face touch-ups is becoming increasingly popular, as people look for ways to improve their video calling experience. Augmented Reality (AR) technology is providing new solutions that make video calls more interactive and enjoyable. Additionally, AR can help to keep an individual’s privacy at a very high level. Virtual backgrounds can be used to change the appearance of a person’s surroundings, while face touch-ups can be used to improve the person’s appearance in different ways. This trend is likely to continue as AR technology becomes more advanced and accessible.
The rise in AR-powered E-learning platforms:
This sector has also seen a massive boom due to the increasing need for E-learning globally. Online learning platforms and virtual classrooms are helping students to learn new things from a distance. With the help of advancements in technology, the students can use AR experiences such as a 3D life-size model. This will help the students to learn through hovering their phone or tablet over an object.
AR is one of the most beneficial and entertaining technologies that has been recently employed in the educational field. It WOWs the students by providing them with lively 3D images and videos of the lesson’s subject matter which they can view from every angle. The best thing about this technology is that it breaks the fourth wall, so to speak, and makes learning fun and interactive instead of tedious. This is turn, helps the teachers explain several methods more easily to the users who are always interested in learning due to many advancements in this technology. Some minds are just better suited for a more hands-on approach and that is where AR comes into play by providing an immersive experience which can deeply engage learners. It should come as no surprise then, that there have been many recent Augmented Reality trends in education as well as other sectors.
AR-powered short video content
Due to the pandemic, there has been an explosion of short video content that includes shorts, Instagram reels, Tiktok, Snapchat spotlight and Thriller. This has helped people share their lives’ daily updates with their friends and relatives. To make videos more engaging, video editing software’s are used to augment the AR features such as lenses, virtual backgrounds and many face filters. Many businesses such as Walmart have also opted for using short video content to help them demonstrate the latest products of the potential customers. They are also providing the users to try these products virtually with the help of technology.
Additionally, TikTok has also become a considerable part of short video content, which has sparked interest in e-commerce. The companies are promoting their product with the help of TikTok shortly.
AR in virtual live streams
AR has been a major buzzword in the tech industry for the past few years, and 2020 was no different. A number of businesses got creative with the concept of augmented reality and live streaming, using it to communicate with customers and let them know what they had to offer. The prevalence of live streaming also led to a number of Augmented Reality trends emerging, such as the use of filters and virtual backgrounds. As we move into 2021, it will be interesting to see how these trends develop and whether AR will continue to gain popularity.
There is an increase in the virtual products, and these were personal and public-facing in these virtual events. The participants can join from anywhere around the world without leaving their locations. There is much positive effect of the AR technology to live stream in many events demonstrated by many cosmetic companies such as Estee Lauder, which has used live stream shopping. Additionally, virtual try-on technology has increased their digital sales by 60% during this pandemic.
Rise of AR avatars in live streaming
Due to privacy reasons, new technology has emerged in this society known as AR avatars. This helps with more personalized and unique communications and protects the privacy of individuals.
Japan has around 4000 virtual Youtubers. Instead of facing the camera themselves, they opt for the digital version of themselves in the form of an avatar to show their digital versions. Additionally, they use twitch as a form of the online streaming platform, and you can take advantage of virtual makeovers with the AR effects of snaps. This has given them a much more creative way to stream.
Final thoughts
With the changes that are seen in this world, the use of augmented reality will set a new trend in this environment. Businesses can adopt these trends and help the users in AR technology. It should be noted that AR should not be limited to Snapchat filters or Pokémon Go. Additionally, this is software that can be seen in every area worldwide. It is also implemented in the educational environment, work, the healthcare industry and entertainment. This helps the businesses to adopt competitive advantages.
