With 2021 approaching quickly, it’s time to wrap up the developments that took place this last year and predict what 2021 will bring. These past 12 months proved that emerging technologies, like augmented reality, will indeed become a booming market in the near future. It’s no wonder tech giants, like Apple, are exploring AR wearables and other ways to profit from advanced technologies. In this week’s blog we’re here to provide 5 predictions for AR in 2021.

Marketing and Advertising will continue to take advantage of AR

Lenses like the ones used in Snapchat, have become a means for paid distribution and brand sponsorship. Interactive filters like chips falling from the sky or lipstick try ons are just a few of the types of lenses you’ll see on social media. According to ARtillery’s global forecast report, the current spending of 1.4 billion is projected to grow to just over 8 billion by 2024. As 2021 begins, Facebook, Snapchat, and even Tik Tok will find ways to integrate AR into their platforms to make for an engaging user experience while also feeding advertisers. 

AR glasses will become more accepted

Zuckerberg, Facebook’s CEO, mentioned the company is planning to release its first pair of AR glasses in 2021. Per Venturebeat, “Zuckerberg confirmed that it has been working with fashion eyewear company EssilorLuxottica to create the “smart glasses” product and suggested that it will be cosmetically appealing, arriving under the Ray-Ban brand name.”

With more enterprise adoption of AR– for uses like safety, training, and task completion– AR glasses already had less resistance than years before. 

Spatial computing will become a trend in 2021

Spatial computing is known as, “ the digitization of spatial relationships between objects, people, machines, and environments to optimize their interactions. Throw augmented reality into this mix and you have an even better application of spatial computing. There are many use cases for this– specifically for indoor navigation and GPS. 

The AR cloud will materialize 

Although, there is nothing concrete to exist of the AR cloud, there are developments in place to build an interoperable spatial computing technology. In fact, ARinsider makes note that Google has AR cloud ambitions, which is evident in its interlocking spatial computing efforts. Additionally, MagicLeap released its idea to build AR “layers” over the entire earth. Therefore, we will continue to see the evolution of the cloud in 2021. 

Wearables and Auditory AR will make headway 

Airpods, Alexa, and audible technologies were on the rise this year. The population seems to feel more comfortable with wearable technology– meaning big companies will want to implement more sensory technology in the next year. Headphones could shift to AR headsets as people become more acclimated to sensory augmentation. 

Clearly, we only scratched the surface of how AR may mature in the next year. However, as digital technology trends upwards this year, there is hope that we will continue to be baffled yet elated by the progress made in the AR space.  

 

What are your predictions for AR in 2021?