The growing maturity of the augmented reality market will continue to drive adoption and use cases to address mission-critical workforce productivity and collaboration challenges.
Many enterprises are deploying increasingly powerful handheld devices, while the consumer market is proving to be the proving ground for the next generation of augmented and mixed reality hardware.
Artificial intelligence and advanced computing practices drive the popularity of more powerful and user-friendly AR software solutions.
By 2023, the augmented reality (AR) hardware market will stabilize, finding a balance between maturing technology and rising expectations. Enterprise augmented reality solutions can often be implemented on more familiar, easy-to-use, constantly improving devices. Both of these trends are likely to hold in 2024, supported by Apple’s anticipated launch of Vision Pro and the positive impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the usability and scalability of augmented reality.
Apple Steps Up its AR Game
Forecasters continue to believe that the AR hardware industry will grow. much of the growth in AR hardware is coming from the development of consumer-grade VR hardware, with many AR experiences being enabled through penetrating transmissions via devices such as the Meta Quest series and the anticipated Apple Vision Pro.
In the augmented reality space, tech companies like Microsoft have dabbled almost exclusively in the high-end enterprise market. Apple’s highly anticipated Apple Vision Pro can potentially blur those lines. At PTC, we demonstrated an enterprise AR use case during the official launch of Apple Vision Pro.
“I’ve been doing VR for 30 years, and I’ve never had an experience like this,” said Stephen Prideaux-Ghee, chief technology officer for AR/VR at PTC.
Artificial Intelligence Turns AR Devices into Cognitive Computers
Artificial intelligence entered the market in a big way this year. Since AI is a fundamental technology, AR is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the latest advances in AI. With AI, AR can enhance cognitive abilities such as speech, hearing, and vision. For example, it can learn from detailed visual analyses of individual work steps and observations of the environment, and then provide high-quality step-by-step work instructions.
Artificial intelligence helps make augmented reality experiences more efficient and is one of the advanced technologies that make these experiences possible on today’s devices. Consider PTC’s Vuforia Step Check, which combines augmented reality and artificial intelligence into a powerful and intuitive virtual guided workflow.
It’s part of an emerging trend toward technology convergence. Whereas before, companies could focus solely on next-generation connectivity, augmented reality, connected devices, AI, etc., now the most interesting and impactful developments are happening at the intersection of these technologies.
Smartphones and Tablets with AR Hardware Capabilities
Many companies are using AR technology on smartphones and tablets. These devices are inexpensive and familiar to users. Their ability to deliver immersive and rich experiences is growing thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, cloud and edge computing, and advanced chips like Google Tensor.
Some companies using dedicated AR hardware are becoming ‘AR-as-a-service’ providers. These providers offer the hardware through software bundles with customer support and other features. This trend is likely to continue, making AR more accessible to executives who see value in the experience but may be intimidated by the technology.
AR’s Growing Role in Real-World Applications
Augmented reality is becoming increasingly popular among frontline workers. This represents a transformation across industries, especially manufacturing and services. Driving this trend is the recognition of AR’s potential to address challenges such as high employee turnover, worker retirement, and increased job complexity.
A key factor behind the surge in AR adoption is the need for digital tools that can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of frontline workers. Industries across the board are facing high turnover rates due to the constant influx of new employees, and AR provides an easy-to-use, intuitive interface for training and onboarding.
Connectivity between people, products, and processes is critical, and AR enables seamless communication and collaboration. Remote experts can use AR-enabled devices to guide untrained workers. This capability improves problem-solving, reduces downtime, and increases overall productivity.
The growing number of use cases for AR in manufacturing and service industries demonstrates its versatility. From visual inspections to maintenance tasks, AR is being used to streamline workflows, reduce errors, and improve overall worker efficiency. This shift proves that AR is evolving from a mere technology trend to a practical solution to real-world business challenges.
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