Things To Consider For Augmented Reality App Development

Augmented reality has become a buzzword in the digital landscape with an increasing number of applications in several industries like gaming, education, and e-commerce. Following the increasing popularity of AR features in social apps like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook, the demand for AR application development has increased considerably. Several e-commerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba have introduced AR features to deliver personalized online shopping experiences to their customers. Education platforms like Udemy have also introduced AR features to improve their e-learning solutions. According to Digi Cap, the market cap of AR/VR technologies is expected to reach $108 billion by 2021. 

At Oodles Technologies, we provide end-to-end AR app development services using the latest tools and technologies. Based on our experience in AR application development, we suggest some useful tips for choosing the right AR framework. 

Also read Using AR VR Technologies To Deal With The COVID 19 Pandemic

 

Types of Augmented Reality

There are two main types of AR techniques available for building mobile applications.

Marker-based AR

Marker-based AR applications use a mobile camera to detect and process markers such as QR codes to trigger an event or app function. These applications use image recognition techniques to reveal image patterns that carry digital information. Google Lens is an apt example of marker-based AR applications that uses image recognition techniques to provide useful information about various objects.

Location-based AR

Location-based AR applications use the global positioning system (GPS) and other position detectors to trigger AR-based app functions. These types of AR techniques are being used by several local and international brands to let their users find nearby restaurants, stores, and other points of interest. A popular AR-based gaming app, Pokemon Go also used location-based augmented reality.

Things To Consider While Choosing An AR Framework

There are several frameworks available for building engaging AR apps that deliver immersive user experiences across devices. The most commonly used frameworks and AR development tools are Vuforia, SparkAR, EasyAR, ARToolKit, Wikitude, Google ARCore and Apple ARKit. However, to choose the right AR development tools for your project, you must take the following factors into account. 

Project Costs and Budget

Before you proceed further toward building an AR application, you must create a neat action plan based on your budget and capital expenditure. Project cost is definitely a major concern that may decide the fate of your application. While there are several open-source SDKs available for building AR applications, there are many that require license costs and other expenses. It is, therefore, advisable to look at the best options based on your budget. 

Supported Device Platform

While choosing an AR development SDK, it is important to consider the device platforms that the app is going to support. Since Android and iOS are the most popular mobile operating systems, almost all AR tools let you build apps for these systems. However, it is advisable to use Apple ARKit for building iOS and Mac-based AR apps. Similarly, if you intend to develop an AR app for Windows devices, then you must use a UWP-compatible tool such as Vuforia. 

Cloud or Local Storage

You must also be very clear about your app’s storage alternatives. If the app you are developing is lightweight with a limited userbase, then you may explore the local storage options. However, the best approach is to avail cloud-based storage solutions that significantly reduce the file size and provides better accessibility across devices. 

Unity Platform Support

Unity is one of the most extensively used platforms for building graphics-rich gaming applications. While it is commonly used to create games for computers and consoles, Unity also renders support for building high-quality AR applications. Therefore, it is critical to ensure that the SDK that you are going to use is compatible with Unity.

Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM)

Simultaneous localization and mapping is an algorithm that maps a user’s surroundings in real-time to trigger virtual elements in a given area. SLAM integration is essential for building location-based AR applications as it enables users to explore virtual elements as they roam through different places.

You may also be interested in reading Simplifying AR Implementation Using Amazon Sumerian

 

Conclusion

It is critical to ensure the above parameters while developing an AR-based mobile application. It is advisable to consider them beforehand to create a neat development roadmap and carry out essential tasks seamlessly. Based on these considerations, you can choose the right framework and toolkit to develop an app that will maximize user engagement across devices.

Avail Our Services To Build Engaging AR-based Mobile Applications

We are a seasoned Augmented Reality app development company that uses the latest tools and agile methodologies to build feature-rich AR apps. Our development team formulates effective audience engagement strategies to develop an app that maximizes user interactions through immersive features. Our Augmented reality app development services include the development of both marker-based and location-based mobile apps. We use advanced AR app development tools like SparkAR, Vuforia, and ARToolKit to build high-quality apps with custom AR features.