What does AR mean: Augmented Reality explained

The boundary between what is real and what is virtual has become increasingly blurred in recent years.

With this development, we have become familiar with many new concepts that can all be gathered under the common term: Extended Reality. But what does this extended reality actually involve?

When it comes to Extended Reality, we are talking about virtual worlds such as Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). Back in 2018, I talked about marketing trends worth keeping an eye on, and among these, VR was already in the spotlight.

Here, we will focus on Augmented Reality. But first, it is worth clarifying the difference between these immersive technologies.

What is the difference between VR and AR?

Augmented Reality (AR) – Enhancing the real world with digital content.

Example: You use your smartphone’s camera to visualize how a sofa would look in your living room. The digital version of your dream sofa appears on your smartphone’s screen, while showing your living room through the camera. You can now move your camera around and visualize the sofa from different angles to determine whether it would actually fit well in your space.

Virtual Reality (VR) – simulated and computer-generated environments.

Example: With a pair of VR glasses, you can enter a wide variety of digital worlds, including games, where you step into a simulated universe and can immerse yourself completely as if it were real.

How can AR be used?

These new virtual additions to the real world have truly pushed the limits of what is possible. The line between the virtual and the real is no longer sharply divided. With Augmented Reality, it is possible to add an extra layer of information to the real world simply by using a smartphone or a pair of AR glasses.

Today, AR is used in everything from mobile games, such as the popular Pokémon Go, to companies that want to give their customers the opportunity to visualize a product before purchasing it. This applies to furniture retailers, makeup brands, and many others where it makes sense for the customer to see the product in a home setting.

All in all, the technology behind AR provides new opportunities for the real world in many different contexts. With the rapid development of this technology, AR will undoubtedly become even more advanced within a few years, and more companies will be able to put it to use.