Millions of people were first introduced to augmented reality (AR) through Snapchat’s fun, accessible AR filters. Snapchat’s parent company, Snap, continues to blaze trails in extended reality today, moving from mass-market video filters to custom business solutions.
Snap’s Arcadia Studio develops branded AR experiences for enterprise partners. It’s created innovative solutions for megabrands like Nike, L’Oreal, and Coca-Cola.
The Arcadia team focuses first on how technology can best serve an enterprise partner’s goals. Then it works cross functionally to make the AR experience accessible across devices.
Only then does it turn its attention to the content the tech will deliver.
“We take a personalized approach with every partner, ensuring the value we deliver is aligned with business needs – not just creating something fun for PR.”
Andrew Seleznov
Head of AR Production | Snap
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The Changing AR Landscape
The explosion of generative AI tools has shifted much of the industry buzz away from augmented reality.
On the down side, Andrew says the waning excitement has many businesses sidelining AR as an experimental budget item rather than integrating it into their core strategy.
However, AR evolution keeps plowing ahead, even if it’s a little under the radar. Around the world, hundreds of teams like Arcadia are finding new use cases and developing new technologies with AR.
Snapchat filters and Pokemon Go may have introduced AR into the public consciousness. But the technology has broken free of its entertainment roots. Businesses are successfully deploying AR content in sectors including education, retail, and technical support.
Those businesses finding the most value in AR are taking a strategic approach to its adoption.
Creating seamless experiences that encourage user engagement goes beyond creative content. These businesses are also investing in secure, reliable ways to manage and deploy that content to their fleets of devices.
The Future of AR in Business
For AR to achieve its tremendous business potential, the public needs to see it as something more substantial than a bunny-ear filter.
When it comes to developing complex experiences in public spaces, Andrew said Arcadia has found people don’t seem ready for utility-driven AR.
Wearables might be the tool that bridges the gap. For example, Snap’s new Spectacles are a next-gen AR device with no external cords, batteries, or computing units.
In addition to being sleeker than a VR headset, Spectacles’ see-through lenses allow wearers to stay constantly connected with their real-world environment.
“We’ve definitely just scratched the surface,” Andrew said. “There’s so much to explore, and while some use cases are already impactful, we’re still figuring out how to unlock the true potential of AR.”
Businesses that want to be at the forefront of unlocking that potential need to take a holistic approach to incorporating AR into their strategies.
ArborXR offers scalable ways to manage devices, install and deploy content, and guide users through custom experiences. Try it today.