Pokemon Go is the killer app that took augmented reality mainstream – and now others will follow
AR is a technology that’s been around for a while but Nintendo’s monster-hunting game has made it white-hot – and other apps and gadgets will benefit from the interest
It was supposed to be the year virtual reality (VR) finally took off, but thanks to Pokemon Go, a game that encourages players to go hunting on real streets for cartoon monsters that appear on a smartphone screen, it’s augmented reality (AR) that everyone’s now talking about.
The technology – where computer-designed graphics are overlaid onto reality using a phone – isn’t new, but Pokemon Go’s remarkable success has shown how a “killer app” can push its application to the mainstream.
Apple may have created a world of digital music when it started selling the iPod, but MP3s existed long before, while even the internet didn’t really catch on until email brought a reason to use it.
Pokemon Go is set to turn the world on to the wonders of augmented reality
“Millennials have grown up with Pokemon, but have now switched from catching them in the virtual world to catching them in the physical one,” says James Chandler, global mobile director at global media and marketing company Mindshare.
“But it’s not a one-off instant gratification hit like many AR experiences that have come before – the experience is gamified, encouraging users to explore the world around them.”
Some may find it ironic it should take Nintendo’s unashamedly nostalgic mobile game to introduce AR to smartphone users across the world but it has nonetheless unleashed a new wave of interest in the technology.
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There are plenty of apps and new gadgets that promise not only to appeal to curious minds but also to take AR to the next level.