Augmented reality apps have increased in popularity in recent years, and that’s a good thing. That’s because users now own powerful smartphones with vast capabilities. Thus, their expectations have also increased, and they crave new and exciting experiences that only creative developers can fulfill.

And these savvy developers utilize augmented reality (AR) & virtual reality (VR) to bring forth rich and unique experiences. However, we’ll focus on augmented reality apps for now and delve deeper into their many benefits. More importantly, we’ll see why having an AR integration strategy can benefit you as either an appreneur or business leader.

1. AR Integration Can Enhance Existing Apps

You may have released several apps, and users have responded positively to these. And like all good appreneurs, you update these apps and introduce new features at a regular cadence. However, you’ve noticed some user churn, and several users complain that some of your apps leave them bored.

You may think these users are asking for too much or feel entitled, but it’s best not to make these assumptions. After all, most users would not take time out of their day to submit complaints or suggestions about your apps. So, you should always take these responses seriously and make the necessary improvements.

Furthermore, you’ll need to look at your current roster of apps and figure out ways to improve them. And be as impartial as possible when making a value judgment.

For example, you may have developed several m-commerce apps that could benefit from a user interface (UI) overhaul. But you could take things a step further and look at AR integration. And what this would do for your apps is make them more engaging and interactive.

Moreover, users will have a clear picture of how the products they buy, such as clothes and furniture, will look on them or their current environment. And unlike VR, augmented reality apps don’t require an expensive headset to function correctly. These apps will only use a smartphone’s accelerometer, camera, and GPS to work.

2. Augmented Reality Apps Increase Engagement

While we’ve already touched upon this, it’s crucial to understand what we mean by engagement. Many ordinary apps can and should be engaging, but they have limitations. After all, developers can only do so much with apps that primarily use text and static images. And after a while, these apps may bore or cause disinterest in users.

Whether we like it or not, we live in a world where high-fidelity visuals have become the norm. Advertisements, games, and movies all showcase impressive visuals that surpass anything that has come before in popular culture. Therefore, people across the globe have become accustomed to consuming visually stunning content.

But what does this mean for appreneurs that want to impress today’s users? Well, they need to take advantage of the most innovative tools and technologies available today. And augmented reality apps open a world of opportunity for them, both creatively and financially.

Appreneurs and developers that embrace AR integration today will learn valuable skills. These will include the effective utilization of 3D graphics, animation, design, and visual cues. In a way, they’ll become the storytellers of today and tomorrow as they engage younger users already weaned on highly visual content.

Undoubtedly, a more engaged audience often leads to more profitable apps. And having an AR integration strategy whereby developers add augmented reality functionality to their existing apps will also help with future-proofing.

3. Augmented Reality Apps Empower Users

Many conventional apps may meet users’ needs, but that doesn’t mean that they offer optimal solutions. Take map and navigation apps, for example. They do a great job of providing users with accurate maps and location data. However, they have an obvious flaw, and that’s in their presentation.

Maps will show up as overhead 2D presentations of various territories. But many people struggle to read maps, especially when trying to figure out convoluted road systems.

And consider a tourist that travels through Europe, and has to read maps of the continent’s older towns and cities. Ancient and medieval European cities hardly utilized the urban grid planning used for modern cities. Instead, they have many narrow and wide cobbled roads, winding paths, and non-uniform city blocks.

Furthermore, some roads or paths may not even have names, making navigation a chore. But an augmented reality app would present relevant landmark direction, navigation data, and road or path information in an obvious way.

The tourists will see a 3D presentation of directional paths overlayed over the surrounding environment fed through the smartphone camera. And these directional paths will change in real-time, as the smartphone’s GPS picks up the tourist’s latest location. Moreover, the tourist won’t have to look up the map every so often, and instead, make their way to their destination far quicker.

4. Push Apps In-Store And Other Physical Locations

You may think that the only places users will find your apps are in the app stores. But it’s time to think outside the box and see how AR integration opens up new avenues.

The beauty of augmented reality apps is that they’re ideally suited for physical locations. And some of these locations may include art galleries, department stores, music events, museums, retail stores, and trade shows, to name a few.

As an appreneur or developer, you could approach the owners or management teams of any store or event organizer. And offer them the opportunity to engage their users with your existing or custom-made augmented reality apps.

And if you’re a business leader, you may want to work with an accomplished studio such as NS804 to help you craft engaging AR experiences that will work well in your place of business. Always consider how augmented reality can enhance relationships with your clients and build loyalty.

Furthermore, ensure that any AR integration will work in concert with existing technologies, such as interactive digital kiosks. After all, you want to create cohesive experiences that are on-brand.

5. Visualize And Solve Problems More Effectively

There’s practically no limit to the types of augmented reality apps that you can make. And that’s because most disciplines and industries can benefit immensely from apps that streamline existing procedures.

Consider an interior decorator who needs to visualize how a room will look after renovation. The decorator would need to sketch illustrations, and source paint and material samples, to show their client. This process takes time, and the sketch won’t be a 100% accurate representation of the renovated room.

But with an augmented reality app, it’s easy to change details such as wall colors, wallpapers, light fittings, furniture, and other aspects of the room on the fly. Better yet, the client may make these changes with or without the assistance of the decorator. And since the app will utilize 3D graphics and modern rendering techniques, it will produce a true-to-life representation.

The Bottom Line

AR integration is the way forward for appreneurs and business leaders that want to engage users, build loyalty, and future-proof existing apps. Conventional apps are great and will stay relevant for years to come. But users have become more demanding and prefer more interactive and visually stunning apps. Contact NS804 today to learn how we’ll help you create augmented reality apps that will excite your users!