For many, Augmented Reality is perhaps seen as being ‘gimmicky’ and as such isn’t necessarily part of their digital plans – however we think it really should be.

Due to improvements in technology and the widespread use of AR-compatible devices, AR is now far more accessible and it’s here to stay. We can thank Pokémon Go for changing people’s perception of AR and showing the masses its potential for consumer use…

For businesses, it’s about finding a use case and determining how this technology can solve a business issue – whether it’s streamlining a process or driving engagement. One of the most ‘popular’ solutions currently on the market is the Ikea Place app which lets consumers place products within their home so that they can visualise what it’ll look like within the home environment before they buy.

Amazon have also utilised AR within their app to allow consumers to either scan products to easily search for similar items or, as with the Ikea app, place products within the home, school, workplace…or any location they wish!

A lot of retail companies will be exploring how they can utilise this technology so that their customers can ‘try’ on products before they buy, completely changing the retail landscape and shopping experience. Automotive dealers will be looking at how AR can help their audience configure their cars and help to aid the purchasing decision.

Just yesterday Apple announced the arrival of ARKit 2 which features changes to help make this technology more accessible and aims to offer consumers an even more immersive experience across iPad and iPhone devices.

Augmented reality blends the divide between the ‘physical’ and ‘digital’ world and over the coming months and years we expect to see even more businesses utilising this technology to positively impact their business. They won’t be launching solutions because they want to use the latest tech, they will be launching them because they have a problem to solve…