Pros and Cons of Augmented Reality Browsers

AR-Browsers like Layar, Junaio or Wikitude become more and more popular among users. So of course many companies think about creating their own channels within those browsers to either offer their existing customers a new experience or gain new ones.

I thought a list with all the (dis)advantages of Augmented Reality Browsers might help Marketeers to decide wether to create a channel withing a Browser or build a native App.

The Pros

Price: It is very cheap to create your own Browser-Channel. Actually it is for free, apart from the webspace you need to store the data and the time you have to invest in creating the Channel.

Ease of Use: There are several ways to create Augmented Reality Channels. If you have some basic knowledge about php and sql you can get started pretty quickly. But the easiest way, especially for non-programmers, might be Hoppala, a Content-Management System spezialised on AR-Browser. With Hoppala it is possible to create a channel for all three major AR-Browsers Junaio, Layar and Wikitude at once.

Natural Feature Tracking: That one actually only counts for Junaio where you can use up to seven images as trackers to link it with addtional content. Natural Feature Tracking is a very advanced technology and you will hardly get another chance to try it out that easy on a mobile device.

Interactivity: Content will not only be displayed in an AR-Channel but also it is possible to interact with it.

Different kinds of content: You are not limited to plain 2D-Content. Videos, Audio, even 3D-Objects can be placed within the virtual space.

Integration: Layar and Wikitude allow you to integrate your channels within your app. This makes it possible to create your own brand experience and still make use of the Browser’s capabilities.

Paid-Content: I am not sure, how many people are willing to pay yet for Augmented Reality Content. But in the future there might be especially for business related data. Layar already provides the possibility to make your Channels paid. Supported Platforms: All three AR-Browsers are available for iPhone and Android devices. Wikitude and Layar also for Symbian, which ensures you a huge target group.

The Cons

Brand Visibility: If not integrating an AR-Channel into your own App be aware of the fact that your brand will be one of many within the growing catalog of channels. Also, while looking for your channel the user might get distracted with other content and not start your channel at all.

No offline-mode: Since Browsers pull data from a server via webservice it is crucial to have internet connection in order to see any content.

Functionalities: Many things are possible within AR-Browsers. Still they have their limits. So if you want to create a more advanced game with your own User Interface and a more sophisicated feature-set AR-Browser might simply offer yout too little.

Analytics: I still haven’t figured out if there is any way to get some decent metrics about the usage of my channels. AR-Browsers seem to be missing this, in my eyes, very important feature. I want to know when and where how many people used my channel and gain some detailed insights about their needs.

The impact of tablets on Augmented Reality

Since Apple officially announced that the iPad 2 will have two built-in cameras, the Augmented Reality world is eager on creating new ideas. There have been some examples on how AR would look like on a tablet, e.g. the Tagwhat-app on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab.

But considering the popularity of Apple among consumers the iPad will definitely have a deeper impact on AR. However the growing number of tablets, Apple or android-based, opens up a new range of possibilites for AR. Here are some ideas that come into my mind:

Interieur Design: Ikea alread showed, how Augmented Reality can be used to try out different kinds of furniture in your home by placing a marker on the floor and then looking through your mobile phone. With a bigger tablet screen I imagine placing a whole set of markers in my appartment and walking around with my iPad checking out what the new chairs, couches, etc. would look like.

Shopping: Rayban launched an campaign some while ago where you could how try on glasses with the help of AR in front of your own computer. Total Immersion recently launched an iPhone Application where you can do the same. I imagine using this kind of apps on a tablet would be even more convenient.

Gaming: Augmented Reality Games are fun. In my previous article about ARDefender I talked about how appealing the new technology is. On a tablet’s screen you could definetely enhance the gaming experience by adding more markers and making the „battlefield“ bigger.

What do you think? How will tablet influence the AR-market?

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10 Augmented Reality Travel Apps

CNN recently published a list with 10 Augmented Reality Apps. The usual suspects like Layar and Wikitude are part of it as well as some newcomers.

You can check out the whole list here: CNN 10 Top Augmented Reality Travel Apps.

Hoppala opens to alle major AR-Browsers

As from now on you can create your own Augmented Reality Channel for Layar, Wikitude and Junaio simultaneously.

Hoppala, the AR content platform, extended it’s functionalities so people don’t have to struggle with alle three different systems offered by the AR-Browser providers.

From a Marketeer’s point of view this feature makes a lot of sense since now you can target more people with only one campaign.

HP presents new products and solutions with the help of AR

During their „A new HP World“ event which took place in Shanghai, HP’s Paul Donovan used Augmented Reality to present their new products and services. Those included HD screens, cameras and their brandnew WebOS.

Apart from the fact that you have to look at a screen to actually see the presentation I think using AR for this kind of event is a pretty good example of how you can draw all the attention to the speaker and not e.g. a Powerpoint-Presentation on a screen.

He can move around, interact with the digital content and therefore connect in a more intensive way with the audience. Hope to see more of those presentations in the future!