Drugi jezik na kojem je dostupan ovaj članak: Bosnian
By: Sara Morić, Junior Community Manager, Dialog Komunikacije
It’s not difficult to understand why the new VR and AR technology could shake everything, from marketing and gaming to trade and education. Technology which we used to watch only in sci-fi movies is just a step away from becoming a household item of the middle and upper classes. However, while one offers indoor and fully immersive experience, the other one is open and only partially embedded in reality. Still, the question is whether any of them will move beyond the hype and become part of the popular culture?
The buzz surrounding VR has been intensifying for some time, but it got a certain weight after Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus for $2bn in mid-2014. Names like Sony and HTC have also provided significant boost to the VR with their latest offerings. However, since the VR to date has been available only to a select few, the industry can currently only rely on the current consumer interest. Here, the Global Web Index data confirms a decent level of potential. Examining 34 markets, GWI learned that 4 out of 10 Internet users declare an interest in using VR headset in the future. As might be expected, younger consumers are the most enthusiastic, while men (44%) have a 12-point lead compared to women.
Nevertheless, it is difficult to ignore the significant barriers that stand in the way of mainstream success of VR. First and foremost is the cost. The starting price for Facebook’s Oculus Rift and HTC’s Vive range from $600-800, which is outside the budget for many consumers. Moreover, only the latest hardware supports VR – either in the form of next gen game consoles (such as PlayStation’s VR) or high performance PC hardware. It can be assumed that VR headsets may have a similar fate as smart watches – to remain a premium niche, reserved exclusively for tech savvy and rich.
Augmented Reality (AR) has a clear advantage here. Apart from Microsoft HoloLens (which relies on smart glasses), accessibility of AR market is much higher due to the fact that it can already be used via any connected device and requires no additional equipment. Another strength comes from the ability to experience AR “in passing”, or through the phone screen. While VR is something that can be experienced indoors, AR offers a social experience that can be used whenever and wherever you like. This focus on mobile is a good lesson for VR, especially because mobile is the first stop for most who will use VR. Last year Google Cardboard offered an affordable alternative that relied on smartphones, but many were not impressed by the approach “put a cardboard box on your face.” This is something that Google’s new Daydream hopes to correct, which is a big step in bridging the gap between mobile and “anchored” high quality VR’s.
2016. was the year in which many consumers experienced AR for the first time.
Before the launch of Pokemon GO, AR market was small and only emerging, but the app from Niantic has quickly become a global phenomenon and a great example of the potential of AR to make a significant impact among smartphone owners. It turned out that 9% of global Internet users tried the Pokemon Go app. A problem occurs however when it comes to maintaining the level of interest in AR. Pokemon Go may have presented the AR to the masses, but it’s also important to remember that it built on the nostalgia for a favorite brand, which is not easy to replicate. All in all, the biggest obstacle to VR and AR above all is the lack of quality and compelling content. Investments have been directed to the development of hardware that supports the technology, but the same cannot be said for content across different genres that could help justify the high price. With a poor selection of games or interesting content, consumers will not buy, and accordingly, brands and investment companies will not invest.
