Top 2019 Augmented Reality Trends & What You Can Expect to See in the Future

The augmented reality (AR) sector has evolved and come a long way from its Pokemon Go days of 2017. AR is now used to solve ‘real’ challenges across many industries. You can use it to visualize automobile design before the prototype phase or to maintain complex equipment. Organizations are using AR to rapidly manufacture and design their processes.

AR showed a high rate of growth in 2018. Brands such as Facebook, Google, Apple, and similar showed support for AR technology. They believed that AR held great promise for corporate learning. It is predicted that by 2023, the user base for AR-supported devices will cover almost 2.5 billion people and the revenue will reach $75 billion. Here are some top AR trends.

Top 2019 trends for AR

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable companion to AR. Both technologies are fast growing sectors and it is only logical to bring them together. For example, the fun filters of Snapchat and Instagram use AI in conjunction with AR to enhance the user experience. Currently, 35% of Amazon sales come from its recommendation engine that depends on machine learning to match customers with advertisers. Another way to integrate AI with AR is via point-and-shoot AR retail solutions. For instance, a shopper can use an AI-based chatbot to ask questions regarding the pricing, current offers, etc. The answers can be provided with the help of an NLP chatbot. The responses can be tailored to the user’s profile for more personalization.
AR is a game-changer for the training sector, especially in high-risk industries. This type of training gives learners a better sense of how to safely deal with work-related risks. AR is known to have decreased the risk and cost associated with hazardous training.
The automobile sector is yet another sector that has greatly benefitted from AR. In the future, consumers will see a growth of AR in their cars, such as through dashboard-mounted display graphics. This may expand to technology that provides useful information like frequently used lanes, existing hazards, and enhanced navigational assistance.
Headset-based AR is already in the hands of consumers. Experts are working on advanced features where you can use AR for measurements, 3D detection, predictable tracking, and so on.
Developers are working on improving gesture recognition. How interesting will it be when a user looks at an object and it gets detected immediately? Real-time gesture recognition technology allows people to use their hands to interact with virtual objects. This is an advanced AR feature that is currently being worked on. More tracking issues will be resolved with the help of AR testing in the future.
Ideas that were once dismissed are showing up again because of the advancement in AR technologies. For example, some time back there were problems with indoor navigation. Now, AR can provide directions in malls, airports, hospitals, and offices. Gatwick Airport has its own smartphone solution that helps passengers find their way to their terminals and gates.
Apple is working on having AR solutions available directly through web browsers. As a result, users will not need to download specialized mobile apps. Chrome AR allows users to log into AR-enabled websites without the use of specialized apps. Mozilla is also working on bringing AR solutions to Firefox.

The road ahead

More and more tech experts are using AR solutions to solve problems. They have realized that AR can bring more advancements in various industries. UX designers have a huge playing field while experimenting with AR features and they are coming to grips with it.

2019 seems to be a promising year for the AR industry. Many surprises seem to be waiting in the fold with an increase in the efficiency and quality of AR. Your organization should not miss out on extracting the maximum value from this evolving technology. Brace yourself to experience and gain from the growth of AR, on its own accord or in conjunction with VR.

At Designing Digitally, Inc. our experts can create an augmented learning solution to meet the specific training needs of your company. Our instructional design team ensures that our AR solutions harness the power of collaboration and boost the productivity of your workforce.

To learn more about the possibilities of augmented reality and the impact it can make on your employees, request a free quote or book a free consultation with our team today.