Augmented Reality has been the next big thing for years - and it still isn't. Instead, it boils permanently low. And while this is more than what 3D TV, folding phones and quibi can do, AR has to come to a boil before it is no longer welcomed by the public. What now?
Perhaps a combination of Twitter and Foursquare overlaid on the real world around us would do the trick. The establishment of such a "social AR" is the goal of Saul Garlick, CEO of the AR startup Fabric, who does this on roughly every smartphone. "Users and brands can post their thoughts in an AR thought bubble that people can see within a certain (physical) radius," he says. "If you want to see what other people are going through and connect with your community, you can do so right away, in your context. It feels a lot richer."
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Substance, like much AR, is a little difficult to describe, but Garlick tries to position it between red utility and absurd gimmick. For example, "If (AR) is a utility, furniture will be put in your room", as is the case with apps like Wayfair. "Then there is the champagne bottle that appears on top of the Eiffel Tower, or rabbit ears on Instagram. None of them are super interesting to us." Instead, Fabric doesn't shy away from brands that use the technology to interact with consumers' thought bubbles and thus their real-world needs.
While Fabric offers standalone apps for iOS or Android, it has no illusions about becoming the next big goal, and instead focuses on incorporating its technology with other brands' apps.
Saul Garlick had many useful thoughts about the future of AR; Hear them all in his conversation with CNET's Brian Cooley in the video above.
What nowSource link is a video interview series with industry leaders, celebrities and influencers covering trends affecting businesses and consumers amid the "new normal". There will always be changes in our world and we will be here to discuss how to navigate everything.
