Keeping up with the most recent trends is important for both developers and businesses since web development is an ever evolving field. As we head into the second half of 2023, the team of experts at GoodWorkLabs have examined the rising web development trends that are reshaping the digital environment. In this blog, we shall examine these changes and their potential impact on the industry. 

1) Progressive Web Apps 

In 2023, progressive web apps (PWAs) provide users with an experience similar to native mobile apps. They combine the best features of websites and apps to offer quick loading, offline access and push alerts. PWAs increase user pleasure and engagement while eliminating the necessity for consumers to download and set up apps from app stores. Companies are using PWAs to create smooth, responsive and engaging experiences across a variety of platforms as they continue to gain popularity, bridging the gap between web and mobile app development.

2) Voice User Interface 

Voice user interface (VUI), enables users to interact with websites and applications using voice commands. With the increased usage of voice-activated technology, VUI improves user experience by facilitating more accessible and logical interactions. VUI enables users to carry out tasks hands-free like information searching, website navigation and application control  by integrating voice recognition and natural language processing technology. VUI is important for increasing engagement and ensuring that the company remains at the forefront of cutting-edge web development techniques as they work to provide seamless user experiences.

3) Motion UI

An emerging trend in web development, Motion UI emphasizes the use of subtle animations and transitions to improve user experience. Motion UI produces dynamic features that are visually appealing and interactive for websites and applications. These animations not only enhance the visual appeal but also give users insightful feedback as they engage. Motion UI can help users navigate interfaces, effectively communicate information and increase user happiness in general.  As the digital world becomes more competitive, Motion UI equips companies to stand out, tell captivating visual tales and develop memorable user experiences as the digital world. 

4) Single Page Applications 

Single page applications (SPAs), provide a fluid and responsive user experience. In contrast to conventional websites, SPAs only load a single HTML page and dynamically update content in response to user interaction. As a result, interactions become quicker and more fluid as there is no need for page reloads. SPAs are perfect for modern web applications since they can operate offline and are well-suited for mobile devices. SPAs improve user engagement and satisfaction by lowering load times and offering a more app-like experience, giving companies an advantage in the digital marketplace.

5) Integration of AI (Especially Generative AI)

Integration of artificial intelligence (AI)   gives websites and applications intelligent capabilities. Developers may improve user engagement and experiences by integrating AI technologies like chatbots, tailored content recommendations and powerful data analytics. AI-driven features enable websites to adapt to customers’ tastes and behaviors, improve customer service and speed up data processing. Businesses that include AI into their web development plans can gain a competitive edge, providing unique and customized experiences to their users as AI continues to transform many industries. Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Bard, etc. are now essential to be integrated into for most of the applications.

6) Cybersecurity and Privacy 

Due to increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats and stricter data privacy laws, developers must give priority to strong security measures. To protect user data, this entails putting in place secure authentication procedures, encrypted communication protocols, and frequent security assessments. Companies can increase user trust, protect sensitive data and prevent potential data breaches that could have serious reputational and financial repercussions by putting a strong emphasis on cybersecurity and privacy. To guarantee a safe and secure digital environment for both users and companies, proactive efforts in these areas are important.

7) WebAssembly

WebAssembly (Wasm), which provides websites with near native performance speed , is a game changing trend in web development. It is a binary instruction format that goes beyond the constraints of conventional JavaScript and enables developers to run codes effectively in web browsers. WebAssembly creates new opportunities for resource-intensive tasks like gaming, simulations and data processing by enabling high-performance apps on the web. As browser support for WebAssembly increases, it has the potential to change online development by giving developers the tools they need to build consumers’ web experiences that are quicker, more sophisticated and immersive .

8) Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality 

The web development trends of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are groundbreaking. The way users interact with websites and applications can be completely changed by developers incorporating AR and VR technologies. The use of augmented reality (AR) allows for immersive storytelling, virtual showrooms and interactive product presentations.  VR on the other hand delivers completely immersive experiences that transport people into virtual worlds. Both technologies increase user interaction and engagement, enabling businesses to present goods and services in unconventional ways. Future web development and digital experiences will likely be influenced by AR and VR as they grow and become more widely available.

9) Low Code Development 

The use of low-code development to speed up the web development process is growing in popularity. It entails using drag-and-drop interfaces and visual development tools to construct programs with minimal hand-coding. This development enables web developers of all skill levels to produce usable web applications more quickly and effectively. Companies can speed up their digital transformation, cut development costs and improve overall agility in responding to shifting market demands with low-code development platforms. The development of web apps can be rapidly prototyped and deployed thanks to this trend, making web development more accessible.

In conclusion, there is a significant change in web development as a result of new trends that promise to revolutionize both user experiences and business methods.  From Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) enabling seamless cross-platform interactions to Voice User Interface (VUI) allowing intuitive voice interactions developers are constructing increasingly appealing and accessible digital spaces. User happiness and personalization are being further elevated through the integration of Motion UI, Single Page Applications (SPAs) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). High-performance web applications made with WebAssembly also open up new possibilities, while Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) reinvent immersive experiences. By putting a strong emphasis on cybersecurity, privacy, and low-code development, businesses can prosper in this dynamic and cutthroat web development market. 

Leading technology and design company, GoodWorkLabs specializes in web development, mobile app development, artificial intelligence, Big Data Solutions, Games Development, Staff Augmentation Service, UX UI Design, and other technical services. GoodWorkLabs is renowned for providing cutting-edge solutions and has established a reputation for excellence. Our team of specialists creates reliable and user-friendly digital experiences for a range of global businesses and industries. With a love for technology, an emphasis on quality and a dedication  to going the extra mile for clients, GoodWorkLabs is a go-to partner for companies looking to take advantage of the most recent technological developments and staying ahead in the rapidly changing digital landscape. To learn more please visit our website.

The last decade introduced the world to the digitization of many sectors. This helped the global trade to increase worldwide as many developing and emerging countries became important trading partners and potential sales and development markets. Digitization has helped us to be more connected and perform our daily tasks more effectively. It has made the world a global village and people global citizens.

However, the economies built in the previous decade came crashing to the ground in the last few weeks as COVID-19 pandemic hit the world. While the pandemic has had a great impact on the global economy, it taught us how to fight and improve the current condition using technology. It has laid a new pathway by disrupting our lifestyles by enabling contact-less and virtual experiences. Even though the technology cannot prevent the onset of the pandemics, it can, however, help prevent the spread, educate, empower, and warn people around. Today, these technologies are emerging more than ever – mobile, cloud, analytics, robotics, AI/ML, 4G/5G, and high-speed internet.

Let us look at three technologies that are disrupting our lifestyle each day during this pandemic:

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

From tracking the travel history of COVID-19 patents to analysing the symptoms of people exposed to the infection, the applications used by many governments do it all. These applications use chatbots to gather information from people, and the technology used in these applications is that of AI and ML. This enables the government to collect reliable information much easier and faster without any human intervention.

The advent of more such mobile applications and software will help ease the lifestyle of customers.

Extended Reality

Augmented and virtual reality is surely a boon in the world of lockdown and quarantine. This technology can be used in providing more meaningful and real experiences for people. The technology can help you see the world while you are locked in your home. This experience will change the way we travel, work, and relax. For instance: Realty brands can focus on using AR/VR videos to target their audiences by helping them take a walk-through the project while they are seated in the comfort of their home. This is an example of how a sector can use the contact-less experience to their advantage.

Cloud and Internet

The last few weeks have seen a great transition in the way the workforce can function. Companies got to believe that remote working and work from home concepts can be of their advantage. The transition to work from home and remote working has increased the dependency on cloud and internet infrastructure. The usage of this technology is set to remain the same even post lockdown and pandemic as many companies are moving towards welcoming a ‘hybrid’ way of working. This will increase the demand for teleworking applications and software for the team to be connected and interactive.

Talking about the internet, technology has changed the sector of education. It has enabled kids to learn and study from home using applications that require an active internet connection to connect with their peers and teachers. For times to come, e-learning will be an accepted norm for the parents and teachers alike.

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to the world that importance of digital readiness. The acceptance and usage of digital technology will allow the business and individuals to continue their work and chores as usual during the pandemic. The companies at large will focus on building necessary digital infrastructure by using the latest technology to stay connected with their employees and customers. The pandemic has increased their market competition by many folds, therefore businesses will have to take an approach that is human-centred and inclusive using technology governance.

In the last decade, almost every day, we have witnessed an emerging usage of smartphones and applications that support them. The mobile application industry has reshaped the businesses, organisations, individuals, and customers. Irrespective of the domain or sector you are in, it is necessary to integrate the latest mobile application development to get more reach, conversion, and growth. Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that smartphones today are transforming business models, customer behaviour, operation models, and marketplaces.

In a report by Statista, it is clear that the mobile application industry is expected to reach $693 billion in 2021. Meaning, there is a great opportunity for the mobile app developers, and the year will generate more and more demand to create mobile applications that stand out and see the day of light.

Let us look at some of the emerging trends in the mobile application industry that can help you build a mobile application that is with and ahead of times:

AI and ML apps to make smartphones smarter 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) go hand in hand while building a mobile application. They are taking a centre stage of almost all technological advancements and innovation for they ease the life of customers, businesses, and employees. Apart from making life easy, they also contribute to saving time, effort, and money for mobile app developers and businesses.

Using AI and ML has lead businesses to understand user behaviour at a much deeper level. This indeed helps them solve complex business problems which would have been tough to gauge without interacting with users/customers. The simplest (or to say commonest) example of AI and ML apps is the usage of chatbots, Siri, and google.

Selling an experience through AR and VR

Known as extended reality, Augmented Reality(AR) and Virtual Reality(VR) is here to stay. Widely used for mobile gaming applications, this trend is slowly set to change by bringing in more meaningful experiences for the users or customers. It is predicted that this technology will be widely used on social platforms for branding and targeting potential customers through AR/VR apps. For instance: Creating an Instagram filter to promote your brand and engage the audiences.

Also, today many real estate developers are providing AR/VR videos for the audiences to experience their upcoming projects and taking informed decisions. This has helped them to set clear expectations and get faster conversions.

Talking about the worldwide market of AR and VR technology, Statista predicts that the business value will hit to $209 billion in 2022.

Wearables, the emerging fad

Expected to reach $44.2 billion by 2020, the wearable industry will change the everyday lifestyle. From healthcare to e-commerce all are banking on this trend to increase the engagement and revenue. The integration of wearables serves as a key to innovation and technological development.

Apple watches have pioneered this trend, and with their latest WatchOS update, they have made it clear that the Apple Watch apps will no longer require a companion iOS app. Meaning, the world of smart wearables will now be just as wide as that of smartphones.

On-demand apps, a change maker

Today we have an application for almost all our daily needs and chores – from delivery to travel, OTT to banking, and home-spa to healthcare. This is all possible because of the on-demand application developers. To develop an application that brings in change, you need to vision problems from the end-user point-of-view, anticipate, research, and then develop a solution.

In a report by Shamika Ravi and Niam Yaraghi, it is predicted that the on-demand application industry is expected to generate $335 billion in revenue. Therefore, most industries will make use of this successful business model by embracing on-demand application in their businesses. On-demand mobile applications will disrupt the way we life, work, travel, shop, and relax!

IoT, enabling a seamless experience

Living in a world of interconnected smart gadgets, we can see that Internet of Things (IoT) has already become an industry that is here to deliver a real-time experience which is seamless, fast, and valuable. IoT’s integration with mobile applications has brought in a change in inventory management, buying behaviour, digital marketing, etc. As the demand for IoT gadgets is increasing day by day, there is going to be increased demands of IoT-enabled applications as well.

With many applications being developed each day, the mobile application industry will continue to expand at a rapid pace. This will lead to more disruption thereby making way for newer trends that will change the way we all live, work, and play! Having said that, to stand out in the market and be alive, the businesses will have to anticipate and stay updated with the latest technological developments.

Should you be planning to develop a mobile application that will engage your customers and increase your revenue by using the latest trends, then contact us at [email protected] or  +91- 9863077000.

AR and VR in Media Industry

The 2017 Global Entertainment and Media outlook forecast unveiled a ground-breaking fact that in entertainment and media space, virtual reality (VR) continues to be the fastest-growing segments.  The projection further states that within 3 years from now 68 million VR headsets will be used in the U.S. which will increase the VR content revenue to $5.0 billion.

These predictions show the growing interest of the industry in the adoption of immersive VR experiences in delivering content which is engaging to the audience. Though this might sound very promising, yet the stature of journalism is questionable as of now.

With the widespread use of social media, a wave of fake news spreads like wildfire and this puts a question mark on the credibility of the whole news industry. People are double checking every link posted on social media, every video they watch, and every news they read. The manipulation in still and moving images has ruined it for the news industry. People don’t trust when an image is presented as an evidence for something. As we are evolving and becoming complex beings so are our problems.

Virtual reality is now used by the news industry to regain their credibility.

The reason why VR is essentially recommended is that it puts a supplementary sense of participation in the minds of viewers. To fix the broken trust, putting viewers at the center of events which make them feel like they are directly participating in the event, is a wise way out. But is it as easy as it sounds?

Challenges for Journalists

The introduction of VR has brought challenges to the job of journalists. In the ongoing communication flow between the news organizations and the general public, the job of a journalist is to remain unbiased and present the opinions of all the parties involved.

Now with the introduction of VR in the news industry, the role of the journalist is even more challenging. For example, while shooting with a VR camera, cropping a scene or zooming in will create bias. How far can you stretch the definition of transparency for a journalist in the VR world is the main question here. You might crop something because it was irrelevant but it might be an essential element for the viewer.

There would be some ethical challenges as well. For example, in a world which is increasingly violent, how appropriate is it to make the viewers virtually experience a scene of gore, death and other disturbing news events?

Opportunities in Augmented Reality (AR)

The good news for the news industry is life-like and immersive experiences are not just limited to the VR. In the media and entertainment world, AR can also be used for content delivery.

AR is a charm for those who prefer to explore the world and experience action with AR technology to intensify their real-life experiences. While to those who choose to stay at home and enter another world with their VR headset, VR is still the best.

Let’s recollect AR with your Snapchat filters or the Pokemon Go game, where selfies had overlays of animated filters, now AR can be used to augment the various other aspects of our environment and experience as well.

This a promising start for the news industry as AR is already well accepted by the audience in the form of motion pictures, television, and apps. The concept is already well-accepted by the audience. The most important aspect is that the capabilities of AR to augment the relevant aspects of the environment while subsiding the irrelevant ones can create engaging and convincing content.

Are AR and VR diminishing social interactions?

It is a common perception that AR/VR are isolating individuals from the real world rather than connecting them to it. The main purpose of the news industry is to keep an individual connected to the events that are happening around him. This perception can be a natural hindrance to the news industry but this perception is not accurate.

There is a VR movie theatre operating in the world right now which lets people with any VR headset sign in and sit with a virtual audience in a virtual movie theatre. It also allows them to chat with other individuals before the movie begins. This example clearly explains why VR is not isolating but connecting individuals from distant locations and letting them share experiences.

What is in the future of the news industry?

The media and news industry never lag behind in the adoption of an innovative technology in order to reach out to their audiences. With AR and VR, the audience can be drawn deeper into the news content. Also, they will be able to experience the news story as a first-person. This is a big transformation for the conventional news mediums and should be taken seriously.

Deborah Bothun, PwC’s Global Entertainment & Media Leader, quote “The next era of differentiation in entertainment and media is being defined and propelled by the consumers’ increased demand for live, immersive, shareable experiences. Consumers want to get closer, more engaged and better connected with the stories they love – both in the physical and digital worlds.”

Final words

This brings us to the conclusion that the potential of virtual reality is very powerful and if used to connect people to stories it will raise the level of empathy for events occurring in distant corners of the world. It has the power to pull the strings and make people put efforts beyond their comfort levels. In the current world scenario, all we need is mutual support and empathy. This will solve 50% problems in the world we live in.

The media and the entertainment industry now need to rethink the potential of weaving their current system around AR and VR.

Design tips for Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Mixed Reality

Are you facing problems in evaluating the design of your AR, VR, or Mixed Reality oriented product?  

Today, we have laid down guidelines that will help you to objectively evaluate the design of your next project confidently.

Keep the following pointers in mind and you are good to go.

1. Identify your target audience and use cases

The first thing to do in the product development phase is creating ‘personas’ (a fictitious character that represents your target audience) and ‘use cases’ (the specific pain points or problems that your product intends to solve).

At any stage of the design and development process, if you feel that your product is not solving the specific problems or improving use cases for the persona then you should re-visit the fundamental design.

Therefore, it is recommended to test your product as early as possible with an external audience so that you can identify the fundamental design issues and make a successful product. This approach will be highly helpful while evaluating a design midway.

In case you have reached an advanced stage and have commenced the creation of a beautiful visual for your projects there is a risk of losing relevance.  Highly beautiful visuals may not be relatable for your users and that’s what distinguishes a great design from beautiful visuals.

How do the KPIs stack up across mediums?

In the contemporary world of design, your product is not only in competition with alike products but also with thousands of products across the medium.

For example, if your product is a game in the form of a mobile app, it is not only competing with other mobile games but other forms of entertainment as well such as escape rooms, movies, TV, and concerts. It is essential for your team to understand which mind space your product occupies to clearly identify the competitors across the platforms.

Beware! It is a common mistake to only compare KPIs within mediums. A slight progress in a VR product might be an edge against peer VR products but products on other mediums like mobile phone or computer may have already beaten your standards and have set a higher expectation for the user. 

So even if you are at the forefront of VR and AR technology, you are still behind the performance delivered by existing technologies. The user expects the same performance from your product in the virtual world as he is already getting in the real world.

How were the interactions examined?

The common variables while evaluating the design of your interactions in AR, VR, or MR are:

(i) Accuracy- How frequently the user’s intentions match the outcome

(ii) Ergonomics- Energy cost associated with the interaction

(iii) Learnability- How intuitive an interaction is to learn

(iv) Time to Complete- Time in which a particular action gets completed

The priorities of these variables vary with the type of product. However, if any of these factors score poorly, your design is very poor.

You might want to consider the following points before testing interactions in the above parameters.

•  Currently, stress test interactions are not tested for enough time. For example, if the intended user experience is meant to last for an hour, the stress test should be done for an hour. The interactions which feel perfect for the first five minutes might not be usable for the whole 1-hour period.

• Secondly, some product teams make the mistake of getting samples from excellent gamers for testing the interactions. Studies have shown results which prove that users who play video games frequently tend to learn faster and develop their abilities to do various cognitive tasks very quickly.

Because of such biased sample spaces, product team often wrongly conclude their designs to have excellent learnability while it may or may not have it.

For several reasons, it is crucial to run all the user tests on the mix of non-gamers and video gamers with no prior context of your product. It might be an easy option to run the test internally but your co-workers will already have enough context that they can once again bias the user test.

In fact, any developer who has experience in developing AR, VR, and MR is likely to learn the interactions faster than a user with no prior experience in these mediums.

How can features bring positive KPIs to your product if used together?

A great design is created by the synergy of complementary features which have positive KPIs. Standalone features perform well but when used along with similar features they can create a rich social experience.

If your design has numerous features with positive KPIs but without strong synergy, you should re-scope your design to bring in more synergistic features and remove the standalone features. This will help you in delivering a higher value to the Persona and either solve or improve the Use Cases accurately.

How can Core Loops help to add value?

Core loops are the repeatable actions in your product, It is very important to assess the core loops.

Like if your game is about 3D vegetable slicing, the frequent action is to swing the sword-

How does the user feel while doing that?

Is he enjoying it? Are the sound effects appropriate?

Product teams spend most of their time in iterating and testing core loops. External users should be involved in testing the core loops for the reasons we mentioned before.

For getting accurate feedback for AR or VR or MR, involving external users is a perfect way as of now.

The art style and visual design of a product are subjective but hopefully, the above framework helps you design better experiences and objectively evaluate the core design of your product. For more resources on AR, follow our blog.

Influence of AR technology in the Retail Sector

Do you remember the hype and crazy fan base of the game Pokémon Go which took over the news last year?

Hard to forget, right? With 500 million downloads that game was a mega-hit and has seen stars from the dust in no time.

The specialty of the game was Augmented Reality which added a virtual layer over the real-world environment by gamification of the reality. If you happen to be a follower of that game or any other AR apps you can easily tell how amazing your experience was with AR apps.

AR is gaining a lot of attention in the last few years and is set to receive major investment by 2021. Now that the AR market is booming, it will help a big chunk of industries to expand and make millions with AR’s aid.

Retail sector of the economy is always first in the race to adapt to the changing environment. Being at a nascent stage, AR hasn’t been thought upon by the retailers to inculcate in the business. But now they should think about it!

Here are 6 pressing reasons why you should incorporate AR into your retail business:

1. First of all, you can increase the capacity of the store without having to expand the store physically. This can be done by creating an immersive product catalog with an option to preview. With this online retailers can now overcome the disadvantage of not having a brick-and-mortar store. They can simply put the product they offer on their AR apps.

2. With AR, retailers can easily customize the product offering and offer tailored promotions on the basis of personal preferences.

3. AR enables you to quickly change the look and feel of the place and renew the products on display at a nominal cost. This keeps your customer base interested in visiting your store frequently.

4. AR assists in shelf identification and reporting missing items or give a warning for items which are wrongly placed. Also, AR can smoothen up the in-store navigation and assist the shoppers with the shortest route to their desired product. With AR mobile apps, customers can easily come up with their shopping lists and then according to that list set the navigation route through the store.

5. The customer-oriented benefits of AR are many. AR renders customizable UX content that matches user needs. In industries such as apparels, cosmetics, home decor,  and accessories, stores can allow their customers to virtually try on their products or to decorate their living room without actually having to physically buy the products. This feature will help architects, designers, and contractors a lot. As now they will be able to customize the design in real-time as per client’s requirements. For retail store owners, AR can help in increasing sales of the store and reduce the sales that they lost due to pre-purchase indecision.

6. Also, AR helps you to gather more information about your customer base and enables you to offer a more personalized and attractive rewards program.

Thus, AR enhances the shopping experience for customers. It offers new ways for retailers to engage customers and can enhance the value added by the retail landscape overall.

Investment in the AR technology

If we talk about leaders of the economy, they have already invested millions of dollars in the immersive capabilities of augmented reality. Let’s ponder over some of the AR initiatives by tech giants so far:

Google: Google has introduced ARCore for building AR apps on Android platform already.

Apple: Competing with the AR apps on the Android platform, Apple has introduced ARKit as a platform to develop AR apps for iOS devices.

Microsoft: Microsoft, on the other hand, is working on its own AR solutions such as Hololens.

Facebook: Facebook has already paid $2 billion for its AR venture named Oculus.

Following the lead, the startups have reached a $650 million investment in AR  with VividWorks at 1.7 million, Augment at 1.8 million, and Sayduck at 1 million.

Popular product segments that use AR technology

As per a report on the influence of AR on the retail sector, 61% of shoppers prefer to shop at stores that offer AR. The same report has given data on popular products to shop for with AR:

Here is what customers who frequently shop from retail store think of AR:

• 77% of shoppers think that AR will help choose products based on color or style
• 65% of shoppers think that AR will educate them with product information and utility
• 55% of shoppers think AR will make shopping fun

With the above stats, customers are already expecting AR in the retail sector.

Corporates who have implemented AR in their product line

1. Volkswagen

This German car brand utilized AR in print marketing on billboards. It works in a very simple way. The customer just needs to point the VW AR app at the billboard and the new Beetle bursts onto his phone screen.

Fascinating, right?

2. LEGO

This company came with an amazing idea. If you hold a Lego box or their printed catalog in front of a Lego Digital Box kiosk, you can instantly see the product displayed on the monitor. Also, the Lego AR studio brought the Pokemon Go to life, thus changing the way how children play with LEGO.

3. IKEA

IKEA made furniture shopping fun with its AR catalog that allows customers to use their mobile devices to visualize how a piece of furniture will look in their homes. Now, this is what we call a catch!

Other popular brands such as Coca-Cola, Siemens, Starbucks etc have also used AR in their marketing and branding campaigns. Read more about these AR brand campaigns.

Summing up

Retail sector should be on its toes to adopt AR and take advantage of its capabilities. AR is the future of their stores’ online and offline presence.

With betterment in their product-focused campaigns, AR can drive customers to the stores and shop frequently.  It has practically made shopping an enjoyable spree with realistic representations of actual products on the customer’s screen anywhere, anytime.

If you have an idea for an AR application and want to bring it to life, then just drop in a short message with your requirements and we will have our AR experts reach out to you.

Augmented Reality in Commercial Aviation

Augmented Reality enables an integration between virtual reality and physical reality. This technology has become really popular in multiple sectors including entertainment, business, healthcare, and aviation as well.

Why is AR a much-needed requirement in aviation?

In aviation, AR is considered as one of the necessary innovations to bring safety to the processes. The aviation industry has definitely evolved a lot in terms of safety. But there is still room for improvement. Pilot errors are the most crucial areas that requires work.

According to a survey, about 85% of aviation accidents happen due to an error made by pilots. However, this clearly suggests that there is something wrong with the techniques and technologies that pilots use while flying.

Even the smallest decisions such as checking the weather, reading control panels, evaluating the maintenance of an aircraft takes a lot of effort in the aviation industry. And that is where AR becomes a perfect solution.

Also with augmented reality, the market value is supposed to achieve $90 billion worth by 2020. This presents unique opportunities and benefits for the aviation industry as well.

1. AR navigation in commercial flying

Augmented reality is not a new term in aviation. However, it has been seen as a military technology for a long time. Jet planes all over the world use augmented reality navigation to fly, target, navigate and complete their mission. A glass screen in front of the pilot allows him or her to make correct decisions that keep the pilot and the fighter jet safe.

Now, the same technology is coming to the commercial flying. New startups are presenting augmented reality navigation systems for commercial pilots. These systems are able to make the visualization more advanced, which allows the pilot to make the right decisions and have a safe flight.

2. AR in air traffic visualization

Augmented reality has the capacity to make the air-traffic visualization more effective. Pilots will be able to have a 360-degree view with statistics and virtual images that make air traffic clearly visible to them. As a result, pilots can keep an eye on the air traffic and fly safely. The enhanced use of AR in air-traffic visualization can improve the safety aspect of the aviation industry to a great extent.

3. AR in aircraft maintenance

The application of AR in aircraft maintenance can result in amazing benefits in terms of safety. The commercial flight engineers can leverage AR to inspect and maintain their aircraft. The technology offers real-time details with a combination of technologies such as 3D scanning, sensors, and others. With such a comprehensive inspection, the maintenance of the aircraft can become incredibly successful, which brings safety to the industry.

In 3D scanning, AR technologies offer a clear visual of the aircraft which allows the engineers to easily find dents, scratches and other issues with the aircraft. The technology is already available in the military. And now, the commercial aviation industry is also starting to realize its importance.

Thus, to conclude, there is a big change coming in the commercial aviation industry with Augmented Reality, as these pointers have aptly depicted.

Using AR for Marketing & Branding Campaigns

Augmented reality has been a fairly new concept in the world of branding and advertising. But in 2017, it seems like every single brand is leveraging this technology to maximize their marketing and branding results. The ability to impact the perceptive environment of the viewer with the virtual technology has opened new gates for the marketers across the globe.

Everyday a new brand is launched and companies are wrapping their head around new and innovative marketing campaigns to entice the customer. If you need compelling reasons about how much of an impact Augmented Reality can have on your marketing campaigns, then this blog is all you need to get your wheels in motion. This post showcases 5  very successful branding campaigns that utilized augmented reality in a smart way.

• Celebrating moments with AR – Starbucks

In 2012, the world renowned brand Starbucks used AR as their go-to technology for an innovative and interactive valentines day marketing campaign. The campaign required users to download the AR app and hold it against their coffee cup to send a unique romantic card to their special person. This interactive and engaging customer experience resulted in a huge footfall at Starbucks outlets and proved to be successful

Watch video to understand how Starbucks has used AR in its marketing and branding initiatives.

• Environment Awareness with AR – Coca Cola

It always doesn’t have to be about business, some Brands aim to serve a larger purpose. Coca cola, a widely celebrated soft drink along with WWF used augmented reality to spread the alarming environment message of  global warming and melting of the Arctic circles. The campaign was made live at the Science museum in London where through AR, people were transported to the Arctic circle among Polar Bears and were given a real-time experience of the how the environment is being damaged.

This intelligent use of AR technology helped to establish an immediate connect with the audience and such an emotional yet important message was sent across in the right way.

Watch video on the Arctic home campaign

• Augmented Brochures- Siemens

Augmented reality can be an excellent choice to showcase product demos. Siemens is currently leveraging the AR technology to present their new product range. The customers can effectively experience the simulation of AR and see the products in genuine sizes. This way, the product’s design and size are now available to the customers no matter where they are. The augmented reality approach allows the brand to highlight and market the features of their product in the most effective manner.

Watch this video to know more about the campaign

• An Augmented Reality Car Race by Acura

The whole idea of using Augmented Reality in branding campaigns is to give the customer an unparalleled experience and engage him in a new way. Acura, set up an augmented reality race track where the drivers were given an AR helmet with unpredictable and unique environment challenges to drive the car in. In this way, the car was in real-time tested for safety and different road conditions and get a real-time experience of driving the Acura TLX.

This marketing and branding campaign by Acura was a unique way to make customers excited about their new product.

Watch the video here.

• Media promotion with AR by National Geographic

With the new series called Genius, National Geographic has now entered the scripted show range. The media company decided to promote this Albert Einstein’s series through augmented reality. The technology was used at the SXSW festival 2017 where people got to go inside the virtual mind of Einstein.

The AR technology allowed the people to see the virtual networks in the mind of the genius that helped him in creating mathematical ideas and the concepts of physics. And finally, the ideas interacted with the visitors.

Watch the video here.

Thus, all these examples clearly show that AR is presenting some amazing opportunities for marketing. A versatile range of industries are leveraging this technology to enhance their engagement and personalize their marketing approach.

The Best Of AR Gaming

Augmented Reality has taken over the world already and in the coming days is slated to be even bigger and better. Be it gaming, eCommerce or real estate, AR is going to be the big game changer.

We believe we should start experiencing it from now itself and hence we chose to bring you the best 4 Augmented Reality games in the market now.

Go ahead download them and start playing.

1. Temple Treasure Hunt

This is a  geolocation based augmented reality game for mystery and myth lovers. You can play outdoors or in the room. While playing this game you can choose a role: treasure protector or treasure hunter. As a treasure protector, you have to create treasure trails and as a treasure hunter, you’ll have to discover the treasure. Indian mythological characters come up as treasure guardians. The game uses the real map of the location.

2. WallaMe

This augmented reality game combines geolocation features of AR technology with fun social quests where people can leave hidden messages to one another. Users take a picture of a real physical place (a street, a wall, a shor, etc.) and then add texts, pics or hand-drawn sketches over it. After that they can share it with friends or anyone so that friends may come by and discover those hidden messages.

What’s also great is that there’s no ads or in-app purchases. It is totally free to enjoy! Messages can be private or public. On the other hand, only users of the AR app can view the messages. Although on the whole, a nice and fun game to try out.

3. Pokemon Go

This is the legendary project by Niantic which brought augmented reality games into the crowds. The nostalgy of the players enabled Pokemon GO to hold several Guinness records and gain incredible earnings. It also got to the list of top earning games of the last year.

Pokemon GO is a geolocation game, which places the battlefield on the real surroundings. You catch and train Pokemon, and then fight other players and their “pets”. Although we are quite sure you already know the gameplay and can play this AR game with closed eyes.

4. Ingress

Another hit by Niantic studio released way back in 2012 and still popular among gamers. The credit goes to captivating plot. Scientists have discovered the dark energy, which can influence the way we think. There are two factions. The Enlightened want to use this energy to control humanity, the Resistance aims to protect the mankind. You should choose the side, discover and capture the energy sources, which are located in your city. Which faction wins? It depends on you!

5. Parallel mafia

Have you ever dreamed of being at the heart of the world of criminal rules? If your answer is Yes, Parallel Mafia by PerBlue offers you this opportunity. With this augmented reality game, you can become a real boss of your proper criminal clan. Parallel mafia also has a big choice of entertainment at your disposal. You can create your business, build fronts or earn the reputation. In any case, you’ll be surprised!

Augmented Reality – The Good, Bad and Ugly

Remember Pokémon Go? Yes, the game in which we had to trace the Pokémon and capture them. Well, it turned out to be one of the biggest Augmented Reality success stories in recent times. It also presented ways in which AR can go mainstream without impacting the ease of use and overall used experience generated by such new age technology disruptions.

But to drive the business in better ways, Augmented Reality has to overcome all the challenges which it faces. So, it won’t be wrong to say that there are still miles to go for AR to be embraced at a broader level by end users. Let us check out these challenges which are still restricting AR to come into the mainstream.

Challenges of Augmented Reality

1. Technical Challenges

When it comes to organizations who are looking to get a fully functional Augmented Reality solution, they will need a lot of components. Although the development process of AR applications is no different there are certain technical challenges like Unity 3D engine, content, hardware, awareness of the common public, and education.

On these fronts, we are still lacking by quite a distance. So, until and unless we are capable of tackling these technical shortcomings, AR cannot be properly visualized in an organizational scheme of things.

2. Devices used in AR

As mentioned earlier, AR apps are no different and can run in any of the tablet or smartphone. You can even call AR apps omnipresent. But what makes it lag are crucial hardware elements like cameras, screens, motion sensors, processors and lastly, high speed internet connectivity.

Now for a minute, let us assume that we have everything, but what about other hardware like Google Glass, HoloLens, AR headsets, and Meta, which are still far from the reach of common public to derive the delight and thrilling experience that Augmented Reality has the potential to provide?

3. Unavailability of Content for AR Apps

You have a smartphone, but you do not have any application to play- how will you feel? Yes, this is the same situation with Augmented Reality these days. We might get hardware like HoloLens and Google Glass soon but what about the content and AR applications that will provide the user with this unique experience? There is a huge demand for such interactive content and companies are still in the process of creating and generating such high engaging content on a regular basis.

So, in a nutshell, the AR ecosystem is growing gradually, but due to the lack of interactive content, people are not very motivated to adopt this new technology.

4. Lack of public awareness

This is more of a social challenge. Whenever a new technology is released it takes time to become widespread among its users. Same is the case with AR (Augmented Reality).

Common people are still not aware of the potential of AR and hence, they cannot even relate to it in their daily lives.  Therefore, it would not be wrong to say that AR is still in its nascent phase. It will take time to be fully embraced by the public.

Thus, these are the 4 challenges which Augmented Reality companies are facing these days. The focus should be that these challenges are soon overcome by devising and implementing the right business tactics.