Augmented Reality (AR) applications might appear futuristic, but the public and marketers are getting the trend faster than you believe.
Around 48% of consumers are keen on using AR and other metaverse technology to shop over the coming five years. Additionally, 38 percent of marketing professionals said they’re using AR to connect with customers both online and in stores.
This is the question: Is it the right time to consider using augmented reality in your business strategy?
What is Augmented Reality?
Augmented reality is a method of technology that virtually transforms the 3D image into a “real-world” experience. It gives the user the illusion that the virtual object exists alongside them in the real world.
AR is frequently employed in games, providing an immersive experience to gamers and involving their senses in a more immersive way. It can also help in shopping.
Imagine it as follows: Online shopping is restricted to photos of products. There are occasions when you’ll see an image that is 360-degree or a video, but it’s not common. Look at an AR experience, where you can see how the hat appears on your head or how the table will fit inside your kitchen.
Some brands are including the technology in their plans. Let’s look over 11 of the top Augmented Reality apps currently available.
Shopify AR
Shopify AR is an app that augmented reality store owners can use to give customers a complete shopping experience. Through this app, you can use videos and 3D models of your merchandise to assist customers in gaining a better knowledge of their functions and size, allowing them to feel more confident in making a purchase.
Shopify AR’s technology allows Android and iOS users to transform any space into a showroom. Users can play with interactive models of your product to determine if it is a good fit for their style or requirements. Let customers better perceive your product’s dimensions, detail, and size. You should see an increase in the value of your orders.
Houzz
A fantastic platform for furniture and furniture dealers, Houzz is one of the best AR apps for planning interior layouts and design. It is primarily a home improvement tool; Houzz has ecommerce functionality that lets users browse and buy items within the app.
The “View in My Home “View in My Room” feature provides AR experiences by inserting objects in the photo of the user’s house using 3D technology to ensure that the final image appears realistic. It shows what the product would look like in different lighting. Customers can buy a couch by looking at their sofa.
IKEA Place
IKEA Place is another AR application for iPhone and Android, explicitly focusing on decorating your home. It is a Swedish furniture retailer that allows customers to install its furniture in their homes without necessary assembly.
This application looks at the larger image, incorporating the entire floor plan of your home to determine which furniture items work best in which areas. The drag-and-drop interface is simple and easy to use, and the possibility of seeing various colors recreate the excitement of the real IKEA shopping experience (but with no meatballs).
YouCam Makeup
The next app on our list of apps that use augmented reality (Android or iOS for this, also) The next app on the list is YouCam Makeup. We are moving towards the interior style and the art of cosmetics.
The purchase of makeup is often an unintentional decision. You may be able to test out some samples at the makeup counter, but the fluorescent lighting tricks the eyes and does not reflect typical selfie lighting conditions. However, YouCam allows customers to test out the makeup of many AR technology brands.
GIPHY World
If the real world were a GIPHY World, it’d be much more vibrant and creative. This app combines animation GIFs with AR and other effects, transforming photos and videos into canvas to create 3D images (much like Snapchat uses).
If you want to add some personalization to your social media posts, try GIPHY World. You can add animated or graphic elements to photos of your products to add a new appeal to a social media audience.
Google Lens
With its impressive AR capabilities, Google Lens enhances the user experience when they search.
Instead of entering an inquiry using text, you can launch the app and point at the object you wish to know more about. Google Lens will identify the thing, tell you what the text means, and record essential numbers.
It will also inform you where to purchase the item (if it’s on sale on the Internet). This is one of the many reasons why it’s crucial to think about using visual search in your SEO plan. Additionally, customers can use it to translate the text on a website’s page into over 100 languages without downloading Google Translate.
Tips for the Pros: You can also utilize Google Lens from within the Google Photos apps (a hack for iOS users!) and from Google Assistant.
Augment
In the world of home products, Another great application that can deliver Augmented Reality experiences can be found in Augment.
Augment is designed for e-commerce store owners who can use the application to create an augmented image of their merchandise.
These assets then get primed for your specific AR experience, whether on your mobile app or your website during in-person activations or through a different channel. It’s beneficial for driving “field sales”–in that case, Pop-up shops or farmers’ market events and other retail businesses that are temporary.
ROAR
ROAR is one of the top AR applications geared toward business owners. There are many ways to utilize it to Create an online store powered by AR that is accessible to customers who scan packaging at home, integrate AR in print advertisements, and find out what products and categories are the most popular by using AR.
On the other hand, for consumers On the consumer side, the app improves both at-home and in-store brand experiences by offering deeper information, more exciting content, and information on the products they’re interested in. Customers can look through reviews and prices and even buy the item in-app.
