WebAR is on its way – and it’s going to change everything
September 11, 2019
The most common way for people to experience Augmented Reality (AR) today is via their mobile phones as opposed to wearable devices
WHAT IS IT?
WebAR refers to augmented reality experiences that are accessed through a web browser rather than an app. To the user, this means there is a seamless shift from viewing traditional web content to experiencing AR – and back again. With WebAR, a smartphone and an internet connection are all that are needed to instantly dive in to augmented reality.
No app store, no downloads, no waiting.
To learn more about Web AR and what it can do for your business, read on or contact us
WHO IS IT FOR?
WebAR is ideal for situations where users are likely to be resistant to downloading an app first. That could be because they don’t have time, or are worried about their data, or don’t know how, or simply can’t be bothered. Whatever the reason, WebAR’s instant access eliminates most of these barriers, making it easier than ever to engage audiences with AR content.
Here are a few examples:
MILLER LITE // BRAND ACTIVATION
To celebrate St Patrick's day, beer brand Miller Lite created a fun WebAR experience for its loyal fans. Drinkers were directed to a page on the Miller Lite website, where they were directed to scan the logo on their can, making a hilarious AR leprechaun appear and entertain them with a variety of tricks.
The experience used the 8th Wall platform, and you can read more here.
PUMA // SHOPPER ENGAGEMENT
When Puma opened their New York flagship store, shoppers could enhance their retail experience via a series of WebAR experieces, triggered at various points in the store.
Zappar provided the underlying technology - read more about it here.
FIRST MAN // EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
To promote the Ryan Gosling moon landing film, First Man, audiences could go to a web page that used the moon itself to trigger a WebAR experience. Users were treated to clips of the film, and the ability to interact with a series of virtual locations including Mission Control and ultimately the moon itself.
Try it for yourself here!
SO IS THIS THE END OF THE APP?
Despite WebAR’s obvious appeal, apps are still important for AR. This is because the functionality available to an AR app remains roughly 12-18 months ahead of what WebAR can offer. For developers, this means many solutions are only achievable via apps, but WebAR is improving all the time and does now represent a genuinely effective alternative.
As with most endeavours, it’s simply a question of identifying the most appropriate technology for the task.
So – what’s your challenge?
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