When browsing an Airbnb listing, you pretty much only have the photos supplied by the host and the reviews of previous guests to determine whether or not this is a listing for you. However Airbnb wants to change that by making its previews slightly more detailed, and this will be achieved through the use of virtual reality (VR) technology.In a post on its blog, Airbnb writes, “Capabilities like 360 photos and 3D scans allow a person to step inside a home or city and understand what to expect and how to orient themselves before they leave the comfort of their own home.” However the company notes that as it stands, VR tech is still in its early stages, so for now their attempts at integrating it into their service is more experimental in nature.
However we suppose you can get the gist of what they’re trying to achieve, where 360-degree photos/videos will let users have a better idea of how a room/apartment might look like before they decide on it. In addition to VR, it seems that Airbnb will also be relying on augmented reality (AR) technology, which according to Airbnb, “Augmented reality can also breathe life into a space and tell the story behind the personal items to connect a traveler with their host and a new city in richer, more immersive ways.”
If this sounds familiar, it is because back in June, a designer by the name of Isil Uzum cooked up a concept of how Airbnb could rely on AR tech (and Apple’s ARKit) to help guests navigate their new temporary accommodations.
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