Filters on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok have provided an entry point for AR use, which headset manufacturers hope will translate to future sales.

Filters on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok have provided an entry point for AR use, which headset manufacturers hope will translate to future sales.

A subset of extended reality (XR), augmented reality (AR) technologies allow users to view the physical world with digital overlays. Currently, most people access AR using their smartphones, and the continued rollout of 5G (and later 6G) will allow for increasingly smooth mobile AR experiences.

Analysis

Three of the big four US tech companies (Apple, Google, Meta) are rumoured to be releasing headsets with AR capabilities in the next two years, which are sure to garner mainstream attention. In particular, Apple’s headset is expected to set the industry standard and could mark the first steps towards the brand’s own metaverse.​

Opportunities for Home and Interiors

Tech brands are starting to take note of advancements in home and interior apps that combine AR, machine learning and spatial computing to help people design their homes.​

users photograph their room and ‘erase’ existing furniture from the scene, swapping it out for IKEA alternatives. Already a hub for home inspiration, visual discovery platform Pinterest has launched AR features that enable smartphone users to place products from major retailers including Target and Walmart (both US) in their surroundings.

These experiences translate well to consumer tech products.​

Danish brand Bang & Olufsen’s AR Experience app lets users place 3D models of its products in their space, turn them off and on, and customise them according to their home’s decor.​

Powered by its ARKit, Apple’s RoomPlan uses the LiDAR scanner on newer iPhones and iPads to create a 3D floor plan of a room, including data such as dimensions and types of furniture. The files can be exported to design apps including Cinema 4D and AutoCAD.​

Indian AR e-commerce platform Avataar counts South Korean tech giant Samsung as a client. In January 2022, the platform raised $45m to improve the online shopping experience and recently hired ex-IKEA AR Lead, Daniel Frith.

How to action this:​

Bring the digital experience to life with tools for customers to view products in their homes, transform their space digitally before investing physically. Enable decision-making with interactive AR models that adapt to ambient lighting conditions and different user scenarios.

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