Augmented reality has been a long-time coming, but like its VR cousin, has taken a long time to manifest in the public sphere. Much of this is due to the technology’s cutting-edge nature, where the hardware is expensive to produce and sell. From this point, a smaller market limits the pull of software developers, so established names are hesitant to jump in.
This is bound to change, however, with AR availability and use becoming ever-cheaper and more powerful. AR headsets represent the pinnacle of this technology, both in terms of entertainment and as tools, so what can audiences expect the next few years and developers like Meta to bring?
AR in Entertainment
The first big moves integrating AR headsets in entertainment show the most potential in games that are simple by design. If you play blackjack online games at Paddy’s casino, the experiences are both easy to understand and quick to load. Despite being great to look at, titles like Premium and All Bets Blackjack aren’t demanding on hardware, which could make them great fits for AR. This could also extend to the live blackjack versions, where AR could project not just the cards onto your desk, but the dealers behind them too.
For something like watching a TV or movies, AR could theoretically completely replace existing screens. Instead, a user with an AR headset could project an enormous screen anywhere they wanted within whatever room. This wouldn’t just be great for entertainment’s sake, but it could also reshape how future generations look at decoration.
As Next-Gen Tools
AR systems as tools will likely find an early home, as VR has, through chat programs. VRChat has been a huge hit in the virtual space, and AR could borrow from this concept and extend it into a home environment. Using AR, it would be possible for your friends and families to hang out in avatar form within each-others homes, serving as a communication tool that adds another level of realism to what can otherwise be a disconnected feeling system.
Interior planning could also be aided through the use of augmented systems. With the ability to place products before you buy them, change color schemes, and even digitally reorganize what you already have, users could see huge advantages in reducing wasted effort and costs.
With upcoming systems from major developers like Sony looking to raise what is an already impressive bar, the next generation of AR headsets will be smaller, more powerful, and more user-friendly than ever. As their ubiquity grows, their potential in communication, education, entertainment, and work-life will only improve.
This early on, it’s difficult to anticipate how long it could take for AR systems to reach mainstream public consciousness on the level experienced by other modern display tech, but it’s just a matter of time. The advantages of AR are too profound to ignore, and once the kinks have been worked out, early software developers could find themselves as the next tech millionaire class. Don’t be surprised if you see systems like the Holocake 2 hitting shelves beside tablets and monitors by the end of the decade.