Introduction
AR’s potential is ideal and this technology is being deployed extensively by businesses to give a unique user experience in their business. It is incorporated in designing engaging advertisements, giving consumers real-time information, as well as developing product presentations.
It has been demonstrated that people are expected to purchase it when they interact and connect with a brand because of the psychological connection that has been formed.
Augmented Reality is becoming extremely popular and is being utilized in several different industries, from manufacturing to healthcare and much more. Everyone realizes this growing trend and you can use Augmented Reality to deliver great apps.
Benefits of Augmented Reality Mobile Apps:
– Improving the positive perception of the brand
– Providing access to the market for smartphones
– Rich, immersive, and captivating user experience
– Helps in purchasing decisions for the customer.
– Better user experience with a thorough analysis of the data.
Key Criterion for Choosing SDKs for Augmented Reality:
While opting for a development kit, the various choices available make it difficult to choose among them. To decide on an SDK that fits well with your application, it is essential to ensure that it backs the functionalities that your project requires. Following are the main criteria to be considered:
Image Recognition
This feature is a must-have for any AR application. In Image recognition, places, people, writing and action in images and objects are identified by the software. Image recognition is achieved when the camera and artificial intelligence software is combined with machine vision technologies.
Compatibility with Unity
A most sought-after and robust game engine. Although it is normally used in designing games, Unity can develop Augmented Reality Mobile Apps with robust effects. In case you wish to offer an innovative design or augmenting conventional ideas with modern approaches, a versatile platform like Unity enables you to do both.
GPS Support (Geolocation)
Geolocation is an important element that you must include when developing an AR application based on location. For instance, GPS is used in AR games such as Pokemon Go, and also in applications designed to integrate information on some nearby locations (for instance, to look for a nearby restaurant).
Compatibility for OpenSceneGraph
A 3D graphics toolkit that is open source. It is used in areas, for example, visual simulation, educational and games, experimental simulation and modeling by application developers.
3D Recognition and Tracking
A useful functionality of AR SDK’s is the tracking and recognition of 3D images. Large spaces, for example, bus stations, shopping malls, airports, etc, can be understood and optimized by the application with the help of tracking. 3D objects like toys, cups, boxes, cylinders, etc, can be recognized by the application supporting this functionality. At present e-commerce and mobile games use this technology to a great extent.
Platforms
The choice for Windows and macOS compatible software is relatively small. Nevertheless, using the Augmented Reality Development Kit, you can develop an application for Windows or macOS. Whereas, if you’re looking to build an application for your iOS or Android device, picking an augmented reality toolkit won’t pose any problems as almost all of them are compatible with it.
Local Storage Vs Cloud Support
When building Augmented Reality Mobile Apps, a choice has to be made on how the user data would be stored. The decision is made depending on the number of markers that you can make. When adding a large number of markers in the application, use the cloud in storing the entire data, or your application may use a lot of computer storage.
AR SDKs support from hundreds to thousands of markers, hence, having an idea of how many markers are required is very important. Augmented Reality applications can run offline by storing markers locally, which may be useful, as in some situations access to mobile data or wi-fi may not be possible.
SLAM
Simultaneous Localization and Mapping. The user’s location is tracked through this algorithm. Through this function, the location of objects in certain settings can be stored in the AR application. Virtual objects can be arranged according to their role and user actions.
With enormous potential, Various applications apart from the AR can utilize SLAM.
Cost
Pricing is an AR SDK’s first identifying feature. The best options for those who want to explore AR technology for the first time are free open-source AR SDKs that are open to submissions and can be expanded with new features proposed by the open-source community.
Licensed SDKs offer various pricing plans based on the requirements of the users in the majority of the cases. Free tiers, as it is, have limited options and are intended to be a “demo edition” of the final product. Creating a complex app with a growing, interactive content would most likely require a paid business license.
The Potential of AR Applications:
Augmented reality provides tremendous potential for companies to exploit opportunities in different domains. Below mentioned are some sectors wherein augmented reality mobile apps are used around the world:
Travel & Tourism:
An array of AR solutions like GPS, sightseeing, translation devices used to provide tourist guidance, provide location information, translate menus, signboards while traveling abroad are available.
E-commerce & Retail:
Customers became more engaged with the arrival of augmented reality in e-commerce, and have gained a more personalized experience.
Education:
The co-existence with actual environments/ virtual objects allows students to envision dynamic spatial relationships and abstract concepts, encounter anomalies that are not possible in the actual world, engage in mixed reality with two or three-dimensional artificial objects, and establish meaningful practices.
Urban Planning & Civil Engineering:
AR technique was developed to investigate the interaction between perceived architectural space and structural systems to envision designs for architecture in an outdoor environment.
Military:
AR can be used to view the entire battleground scene with annotation data, practice in large-scale combat situations and experience enemy action in real-time.
Entertainment & Games:
Virtual gaming innovations have been introduced to the entertainment industry to design games, but can also help marketers to display digital advertisements and product placements while reaching a large audience to improve the exposure of important game aspects of live sports broadcasting.
Best AR tools for Building Mobile Applications:
Apple ARKit
Apple ARKit was launched in 2017 for iOS devices. The main features of this ARKit include Face Tracking, Light Level Tracking, etc. There are some savvy features in this framework that can create excellent iOS apps.
Google ARCore
Another great tool for developing AR apps comes from Google. ARCore is a very good tool that comes with power-packed features. This tool functions with Utility, Java, and Unreal. Some of ARCore’s functionalities include Monitor tracking, Light estimation, Environmental understanding, etc. Google AR supports most of the Android devices that operate on 7.0 and higher.
Wikitude
Recently, Wikitude launched its SDK7, offering combined localization and navigation support. Wikitude SDK7 is a new tool that can be a powerful tool for AR applications. It works great, despite being a new tool, and comes with many innovative features such as location-based services, 3D tracking, smart glass support, and more.
Vuforia
Vuforia is a great choice in creating Augmented Reality-based applications. It comes with several great features that can be used to build high-performance AR applications. Also, it supports all major platforms, Android and iOS included, and several items, such as containers, toys, images, etc. It also offers support for text recognition.
MAXST
It is a leading AR application development toolkit with two SDKs, one of which is 2D SDK, which monitors the objects, and the other is 3D SDK which understands the environmental settings. QR and barcode tracking, Enhanced Image Tracking and Integrations of Utility Plugin are some of MAXST’s core components. It supports Windows, iOS, macOS, and Android which makes it an ideal tool.
Conclusion
AR is garnering popularity. Every new launch of an Augmented Reality application generates enthusiasm. Developers are therefore attempting to learn more about this technology to release their AR applications in the future. The first thing to do is to pick up the most suitable Augmented Reality SDK to meet their needs.
Through this article, you can easily compare the different features that are mentioned in this article and opt for your preferred platform for future applications.
