Some argue that AR will be the immersive tech that really takes off due to the fact that it adds elements to our daily lives and surroundings vs VR’s dependence on isolated virtual worlds. Shopping is simply one of the examples of augmented reality’s potential to change how we live, giving us different ways to test out consumer products, and Apple is coming to the table with one of the biggest names in furniture for a new AR application. A report relayed via Business Insider suggests Apple is teaming up with Ikea to launch an AR app that lets you test drive some furniture in your home before making a purchase in the very same app.
AR has been used as a promotional tool in a somewhat gimmicky fashion from other entities, but a statement from Ikea’s Leader of Digital Transformation Michael Valdsgaard points to the company investing heavily in the technology. While he recognizes that the physical stores are their greatest assets, he declared that future new products “will first appear in the AR app”. We don’t have any direct insight into such a decision, but this could also be a cost-saving move that allows them to see who is interested in certain products before moving to mass produce an item.
Early in the year, we got another glimpse at the potential of augmented shopping when Gap and Google collaborated for CES 2017. Apple and Ikea are both leaders in their field and this could be a major boost for augmented platforms.
