In a software-driven world, Augmented Reality (“AR”) is the lens through which we will engage with it.
Google has rolled out an AR-enhanced “Maps” application to a limited user set. The AR feature provides highly-specific location data/ navigation assist as an overlay to smartphone screens. The thought is that over time this technology will deliver location data/ local search/ local adverts to AR-compatible eyewear – remember Google Glass?
“Local” which encompasses everything from local search to local ad promotions to local business listings is an obvious AR use case. “Gaming” and “Driver Assist” are two additional AR-ready use cases. One use case that does not garner the same level of attention is the “Enterprise Data” use case. I’m thinking of companies that make a living by packaging and presenting unique data sets.
For example, a CoStar Augmented Reality app that would provide rich commercial property data to subscribing customers. A given customer would have the ability to view price data, physical spec data and other relevant property information delivered to AR-compatible eyewear as the customer tours a property or simply drives by it.
Similarly, imagine a Factset customer who upon stepping into a management meeting could be provided with that company’s track record, consensus estimates, analyst ratings, etc. as non-intrusive visual background.
Or imagine an Audatex/Solera AR-app that provided a collision repair specialist with relevant mechanical repair instructions on demand.
Call me quirky, but these are some of the near-term realities that I contemplate in my free time. Perhaps we all should go long some of the more user-friendly AR-eyewear manufacturers as well as AR app developers and enterprise data providers.