Will Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Be The Next Big Thing?
If you consider “digital reality” to be a phenomenon, the numerous applications it has, for both consumers and enterprises, is what makes it a deliberate success. While hefty investments are being made into these industries, consumers and enterprises are now recognizing these segments as a possible opportunity for growth. This turns out to be the reason why virtual reality and augmented reality have been growing exponentially. Being a vital source of increased productivity and operational efficiency, virtual reality and augmented reality are changing the way products and services were once developed and delivered. Needless to say, both technological advancements are in the run to becoming the foundation for next-generation computing. However, the question still remains – are they the next ‘big thing?’
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality – What’s The Difference?
There is nothing better than a fully immersive experience that is hard to differentiate from reality. Providing ground to the notion, “why tell when you can show, and why show when you can experience,” the definition of virtual reality is relatively straightforward – replacing the actual world with a virtual one through headsets! Being an utterly immersive experience, virtual reality allows the users to shut down the real world around them and put themselves into an interactive, digital world. With the sheer potential it has, VR systems can give the users an experience they would never have in reality – from going to outer space to fighting with a shark in the Mariana Trench!
Augmented reality, however, is a bit different than that. It is generated by adding an information layer over the real world. While it is more accessible to a regular person, augmented reality doesn’t work by taking the user into a separate reality. Instead, it works by bringing in the virtual elements into the user’s environment. Being an inexpensive option, all it needs is a phone and an AR application for the user to be AR-ready.
What Makes AR and VR “The Next Big Thing”?
Considering how these technologies came into the market, it won’t be wrong to state that their evolution is linked directly to how one perceives the other. What is more interesting to consider is the fact that there has been significant success for augmented reality in the consumer market due to efforts like Pokémon Go! However, what sets both technologies speeding in the right direction, is their unambiguous emphasis on helping and training for the manufacturing and services industry.
While big-guns in the technological industry are continually looking for ways to adapt innovation in their practices, it would not be groundless to state the fact that a majority of the technological advancements depend upon the fifth-generation mobile communication network. With 5G’s sheer potential to play a significant role in the expansion of the emerging technologies, the success of augmented reality in 2020 and virtual reality in 2020 would depend viably on it in addition to their application and revenue models.
Where Are We Headed Next?
Although the advancements in the technicalities of augmented reality and virtual reality are still in the development phase, the potential they have to impact our lives is immense. Being a relatively newer phenomenon, there are some obstructions for both technologies to overcome. Although factors like the high cost of VR headsets and the limitation of virtual and augmented reality to only work with an internet connection are a genuine concern to overcome. Soon, we would be able to transfer data more quickly. With advancements being made for rapid implementation of 5G, it is possible for these technologies to pace towards realism.
As these advancements are making their way through the tunnel, it is possible that these technologies would be adopted for fulfilling more pressing needs of our society, rather than just sitting back and enjoying a game. However, there is still little room for us to kill the potential they have in-store instead of using them as a mere toy. Perhaps the most pressing question would be, “which latest headset to buy?” instead of “how can VR help to cure cancer?” After all, we have all been through the time where we once had no smartphone. Now we tend to buy the latest one every couple of years! Whatever route it chooses, it is still deliberately impending for both of these emerging technologies to become the “next big thing” in the years to come!
