Tag: google augmented reality

Research has shown that these wearable devices will rely on true AR technology to succeed.

According to IHS, the market watcher firm, for Google Glass and other “smart glass” wearable devices to be able to succeed, they will need to be able to provide strong augmented reality experiences.

IHS feels that without AR technology, these devices will fail to achieve mainstream adoption.

They also pointed out that in order to achieve such widespread popularity, they will need to be able to become “true augmented systems” . IHS cautioned organizations making augmented reality glasses that unless application adopters discover new ways to present the wearer with useful and relevant information within their line of sight, then the devices will be little more than a camera that can be worn.

The firm feels the augmented reality information must be “safely and easily integrated into casual use”.

Within IHS’s statement it used Google as an example of the progress of the augmented reality glasses market. It spotlighted the search engine giant’s drive for its Glass project, which has focused primarily on the ability of the device to record video. This was recently demoed using a creative skydiving exercise.

According to IHS senior analyst, Theo Ahadome, “The true success of Glass will be when it can provide some information to users not apparent when viewing people, places or things.” He also stated that “This information may include live updates for travel, location reviews and recommendations, nutritional information and matching personal preferences, and previous encounters to aid decision making.”

The firm identified two potential futures for the augmented reality glasses market. They feel that if marketers don’t use the full potential of AR, then there will be 1 million of the devices being shipped by 2016. This scenario would be catastrophic for Google, which is predicting that its own device will become available in 2014. Should that occur, the firm said that this number will rise to 10 million.

In 2012, there were 50,000 augmented reality glasses shipped. This should increase to 124,000 by the end of this year, as developers build their demand for the technology.

Niantic Labs, the startup behind Ingress, is now launching a new line of digital books.

Google startup, Niantic Labs, has announced that it will be launching a new line of ebooks which are based on its wildly popular Ingress augmented reality mobile gaming experience.

The video game has become massively popular, even though it has not even seen its full release yet.

Ingress is an Android based augmented reality multiplayer game that first launched in its beta form last November. It remains possible to play it by invitation only, and yet it has managed to take off with explosive popularity. Now, its creators will be taking the experience another step forward with the release of this new line of digital products.

The augmented reality experience within this game will soon be broadened with the new product line.

On Friday, the company announced that the line of ebooks linked to the mobile gaming experience would be launched. The augmented reality book line has been dubbed “The Alignment”. So far, they have all been written by Thomas Greanias. This author is also the writer behind the Trilogies that were on the New York Times bestsellers list, Dominium Dei, and Raising Atlantis.

The first of these ebooks, The Alignment: Ingress, will be released through Google Play on April 2 but will then move on to other digital bookstores over time, following that initial sale date. These books will be linked to the Ingress mobile gaming experience and will feature various different types of perks and digital experiences, such as embedded codes and augmented reality.

The books in this new augmented reality ebook line will be co-published by Niantic, as well as the author’s own @lantis Books. Should the digital versions prove to be highly successful, there may be print versions of the same books to follow.

Niantic Labs is not only the creator of the augmented reality mobile gaming experience, Ingress, but it is also behind several other projects. These include the new Field Trip app that has been released by Google.

Given the popularity of the augmented reality game even before its official full release, it is not entirely surprising that these related digital products are being released to complement it. What would be surprising is if this were the last of the developments of this nature.