“Marketing is no longer about the stuff you make, it is about the stories you tell.”
Today’s consumer lives by experience. They do not believe what is told to them. They form an opinion by personal experiences. So what is the AR VR development role in this context? This can only be known by understanding what is AR and VR.
Often confused between the two: AR(Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality), are two different concepts. AR is an interactive experience of a real-world environment where the objects that reside in the real world are changed on the basis of computer-generated perceptual information. The easiest way to understand this is Pokemon Go or the Snapchat Filter. VR, on the other hand, implies a complete immersion experience that shuts out the physical world completely. It is capable of transporting you to a different world, only virtually. This gives a whole new dimension to the way the marketing world has functioned in the years gone by.
The bottom line of any business is making profits. Marketing plays the most vital role in creating brand value for the same. Companies invest millions of dollars every year in brand marketing. With the ever-evolving technology, marketing strategy is changed within a very short span of time. The world has become more aided digitally than ever before. This has impacted every single industry. In conclusion, the significant impact on marketing cannot be ignored. A simple mobile phone which is operated by a 3-year-old kid is equally easy to use for an 80-year-old. Big brands are well aware of this and implement ways to make the most of it. Augmented Reality Companies have emerged powerfully in this scenario. The newest of technology like AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) are only turning things better in the marketing world.
AR VR Enabled Brand Marketing is Next Reality
Every time a new technology emerges, there is a buzz that this is our ultimate future. The same is the case with AR VR technology. It is difficult to believe but the AR and VR technology has been around for nearly 30 years. There is no singular industry that cannot evolve in the AR-VR world. There is a whole different environment built out of the real world that most of us have no idea about. It is fueled by Virtual reality VR and Augmented reality AR. What began as a technology requiring special equipment like headgears, slowly carved its path to the much-used smartphones. It has opened new pathways and opportunities for software development.
The technologies are no longer limited to a particular product and service.
A marketing strategy plan is often based on which type of technology must be chosen for a project. Marketers need to align their requirements based on their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). The key to making this decision is: If you want the consumer to suspend themselves from reality, you must implement the VR technology. It involves employing VR devices and VR apps. If your target audience is to experience an enhanced version of real space around you, AR is the technology you must implement. The difference is that VR isolates the audience from the real environment. It thus requires a more stable and compatible space. Whereas AR only adds to what is already existing. This makes it viable in all places. The task of an AR developer is quite difficult as it requires a great deal of creativity and imagination.
There are companies that have chosen to function and flourish in one of these technologies. There are many Virtual reality companies that are sure to be “the next big thing”.
One of them is Oculus VR. This is a name recognizable by now. It was bought by Facebook in 2016 for a whopping $ 2 billion dollars. One of the products by them is the Oculus Rift. It has incredible graphics, is powered by a PC, and has hundreds of best games from top VR game development companies. It propels the games with only the touch of a fingertip. Similarly, HTC Vive is a virtual reality headset developed by HTC and Valve Corporation. HTC Vive includes a headset, sensors for the room, and handheld devices. HTC has partnered with Valve on this project to make it more robust. They have developed hardware that enables the person to move around in the space, unlike other headgears that compel to be seated in a fixed spot. Just like VR, there are companies that have focused on Augmented Reality development.
The name which tops the list is Magic Leap One. This company is all set to dominate in the Augmented Reality domain. They work with the vision of “Free Your Mind”. Magic Leap is actually an American startup company that has made its way all to the top with its work in Augmented Reality. Magic Leap augmented reality places 3D objects in the real world around the user making it an outstanding experience.
As though these two technologies were not enough, a third technology that combines the best of both worlds has also emerged. It is the Mixed Reality. The Microsoft Hololens is an apparatus used for mixed reality. This a breakthrough in hardware devices, AI Development Services, and mixed reality development by Microsoft. They have expanded beyond the gaming zone to concrete industrial solutions.
All these technologies have created a boundary between traditional and digital marketing. It is an arena for application developers to explore new possibilities. Augmented reality may not be as mature as virtual due to the limitations in technology but it is fast gaining pace. The first hit of Pokemon Go in 2016 displayed how ready the global audience is for a drastic change. It was a validation. Any app developed previously had a limited audience. There was no accessibility for a large section of people. With time, people are more aided technologically. This creates a larger customer base. These technologies are no longer limited to the gaming and entertainment industries. They have spread wings in medical, education, real estate, tourism, and research likewise. VR options make the learning of complex fields like astronomy, space, and human anatomy easy to understand. Various social media platforms are available that have brought people closer. Advertising of products and attracting more customers is no more a challenge. If you have a great idea, a successful plan then there is a definite possibility of success.
In the current scenario, AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) can be predicted to be strongly rooted and here to stay. These may be said to be on the expensive side but so was the first computer that was built. A technology that is not bound by area of operation can surely flourish unprecedentedly.