Immersive technology is rising thanks to augmented smartphone applications and affordable virtual reality headsets. Many are considering adopting AR vs. VR. Yet, despite the rapidly growing technology, it’s still difficult to say which solution will have the most significant impact on the market.
Since the rise of extended reality (XR) technology, reports predict that the industry could reach $397.81 billion by 2026, with its 2020 market value of around $25.84 billion in 2020.
Which is Better: AR or VR?
Market estimations offer a basic view of the industry built on the current buying habits of a particular market. Unfortunately, they can’t accurately picture whether one technology is more popular than the other.
For a long time, VR has achieved the highest level of “hype” in the market, mainly driven by the arrival of consumer VR headsets like the Meta Quest.
However, the availability of smartphones and cameras that can now put AR in anyone’s pocket is rapidly driving the increased development of the AR environment.
Platforms like Niantic provide a rich AR software development kit (SDK) that brands use to create immersive marketing campaigns. Additioanlly, firms like Nreal offer affordable and easy-to-use smart glasses that work to enhance media streaming.
Enterprise-Grade XR Solutions
While people have shown a lot of excitement towards VR for entertainment purposes, AR seemed to emerge as the tool best suited to business and enterprise use.
The sudden arrival of the pandemic in 2020 meant that AR and VR both achieved a phenomenal boost in growth. Companies of all sizes began looking for ways to better connect staff to their colleagues and customers in a socially distanced world.
VR opened the door to new forms of collaboration, where people could once again work together on projects in a shared space. AR, on the other hand, gave people a way to connect through almost holographic images, thanks to tools like Microsoft HoloLens and smartphone devices and services like Snapchat that provide the most consumer-friendly entry point to AR – as well as immersive technology.
Will One Outgrow the Other?
The question of AR vs. VR is difficult due to the tremendous pace at which both technologies are growing. Perhaps because of the potential virtual office and event spaces hold – as well as the monetization avenues on Metaverse services such as NIKELAND.
VR gaming services also bring many eyes to the technology. The games industry enables immersive enterprise solutions to run on high-quality real-time 3D engines like Unreal and Unity.
AR isn’t losing steam, however. For many people who can’t afford to invest in large fleets of VR devices, AR provides an accessible route into immersive solutions.
AR technology like smart glasses and photogrammetry will see more implementation as companies continue to experience digital transformations introducing industry 4.0 and immersive tools.
