Where does Augmented Reality end?

“Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?” Yes, that is a lyric from Queen’s 1975 single, “Bohemian Rhapsody”. It also happens to be the topic of discussion for the promising future of augmented reality.

Are the lines between fiction and reality being blurred? We will try to avoid discussing Pokémon Go as much as possible. No promises though.

News broke this week when Apple CEO Tim Cook announced company plans for developing their own AR technology. If you’ve been following Apple, this isn’t really unexpected news. It’s no secret that Apple has already purchased AR company Metaio and the VR startup FlyBy Media. The big takeaway here is that, give
Apple’s track record with turning existing tech into commercially successful juggernauts (see mobile tablets), the face of augmented reality is likely about to be revolutionized in a major way.

“We have been and continue to invest a lot in this,” Cook said during the recent earnings call. “We are high on AR for the long run, we think there’s great things for customers and a great commercial opportunity.”

Apple isn’t the only company announcing their bid for a slice of the AR pie, however. Microsoft has already unleashed an augmented reality headset called HoloLens. Intel plans to show their own version, EyeSight, next month). These AR headsets will be opening new doors with smart home interaction (no pun intended); they might even make a certain mobile app even better (cue the Pokémon Theme Song).

What this exciting news really means is that the future is finally here. AR technology isn’t just a crazy sci-fi experiment or a silly novelty. The unlimited potential of augmented reality is being fully realized right in front of us. Imagine a world where physical billboards don’t exist because they can be augmented above your head. Think of online ads and discounts for clothes that materialize in front of you while you walk around in-store.

While such advanced technologies are still years away, companies like the London-based GoI
Store have already started blurring the lines between online and physical shopping. They use smart glasses to give online shoppers in-store experiences.

What other kinds of real-world uses are there for augmented reality right now?

• In 2014, Coca-Cola and Spotify teamed up to turn coke cans into portable jukeboxes by holding them up to a screen using Blipar.
• SnapShop Showroom lets shoppers avoid buyer’s remorse by arranging furniture before the buy it and bring it home.
• InkHunter is an AR app that allows individuals to “try on” tattoos before they are even stenciled on their bodies.
• Medical students can use a mobile AR app called ARnatomy to manipulate virtual bones and ligaments.
• Mercedes-Benz allows first responders of a car accident to see the safest way to enter the vehicle using augmented reality.

With the Pokémon-induced AR investment boom, we are entering a new chapter in the human/technology experience. Augmented reality is changing everything about how we interact with the environment around us. The next question becomes, if at all, how long will it be before the distinction between what’s real and what’s augmented begins to fade away? It’s already in our cars, in our homes, and even around our heads as glasses. The upcoming generations of children are likely to grow up with AR tools for development and learning. So the question remains, how all-encompassing will AR become in our lives? Still, augmented reality is already becoming a part of everyday life, and it’s here right now. Thanks, Pikachu.