If you thought that Apple CEO Tim Cook’s words about how there will be no industry left untouched by augmented reality was hyperbole, you might want to rethink that because Amazon has recently announced a new feature that will be part of its mobile app on iOS called AR view.
Leveraging Apple’s ARKit, AR view is basically an augmented reality shopping experience, where customers will be able to browse various products on Amazon and use the feature to get an idea of how their purchase might look like in their home. “They can then select from thousands of items – from living room, bedroom, kitchen and home office products to electronics, toys and games, home décor and more. Whether customers are buying a sofa or a kitchen appliance, they can overlay it onto their existing living space, move it and rotate it to get a full 360-degree peek in a live camera view to make sure it fits their style and aesthetic.”
We’re definitely seeing an uptick in such apps and features offered by retailers. For example Target has also introduced a similar feature to its mobile website, and of course we can’t forget IKEA who was one of the first companies to adopt Apple’s ARKit with its IKEA Places app. We’ve also seen some other interesting uses for AR, like how over in Australia a developer created an app that uses AR to help homeowners decide where is the best place to put an indoor plant for the best air quality.