The Development of Augmented Reality
Aside from expensive AR hardware like Google Glass, Pokemon Go was able to bring AR to the general population for free using the technology that consumers already own, arguably significantly increasing practical awareness to this technology. Before the mainstream Pokemon Go, several industries had discovered ways to use AR to their commercial advantage outside of its traditional use in the world of gaming. AR can offer just-in-time information for workers in maintenance, marketing, customer support, and other sectors. In manufacturing, AR enables workers to more easily identify ways to enhance product design. In retail, it helps employees engage with customers more efficiently, improving consumer satisfaction. AR-enabled smart glasses help warehouse workers more precisely fulfill individual orders. Airline manufacturers use AR to assemble parts faster and with more accuracy. Electrical workers are able to make repairs quicker and more efficiently. This has truly been a priceless technology that many of these professionals now depend on to do their jobs. AR is the catchphrase of 2017 like VR was in 2016. Every major tech company seems to have its hand in it, from Google to Microsoft to Facebook, and most recently -- and maybe most impressively -- Apple. Soon, iPhones will be adept handheld AR devices, able to cast 3D objects everywhere into reality through the lens of the phone's little screen. Forget headsets for now: AR will be social, and communal, and mobile.