Pokémon Go introduced the world to augmented reality (AR) in 2016. The viral game captured the world’s attention, with gamers using their smartphones to hunt fictional creatures on a real-world map. When they arrived at a Pokémon’s location, they could use their phone’s camera to see them in the real world and try to capture them in-game.
While virtual reality (VR) developers haven’t yet produced a viral game on par with the success of Pokémon Go, more and more people are purchasing virtual reality headsets and using them for everything from workouts to playing games. As these technologies continue to evolve, they will change how we interact with the internet and the world. Read on to learn more about how virtual and augmented reality will change the internet.
Rapid Technological Advances
Technology has changed rapidly over the past decade. Instead of traveling hundreds of miles to visit a brick-and-mortar casino, we can now play our favorite games from the comfort of our homes or on the go. For example, Betway live casino offers a range of online games, including roulette and Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, with a level of realism unheard of just a few years ago. Going forward, virtual and augmented reality promise to bring a new revolution to the internet as we know it, changing it from a world we visit through web browsers to a world we live in through virtual and mixed reality headsets.
This extended reality (XR) revolution will change the internet in ways that are difficult to imagine today. XR technologies will blur the line between real-life and virtual worlds, making them almost indistinguishable. Most recently, social media giant Snap ventured into the world of AR, allowing users to place computerized images on top of physical images.
Although VR headsets have become more affordable over the past couple of years, they aren’t yet mainstream worldwide. In the future, we can look forward to less expensive VR technology, much like the cost of browsing the internet dropped significantly from the 1990s to the present. These technologies will also change how we play games well into the future.
VR technology will be lighter and faster, and advances in smartphone technology will allow us to explore the world from our phones with VR and AR technology. As wireless technology develops from 5G and beyond, we’ll be able to experience the world through VR and AR from wherever we happen to be in the world.
Connecting People
Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, and other online platforms already allow us to connect with family, friends, and coworkers in real-time no matter where we are on the planet. XR will make these connections even more realistic. Instead of just connecting on a computer screen, XR will allow us to sit side by side with people on the other side of the world.
XR will blur the line between face-to-face and online meetings. You’ll be able to meet with your coworkers in virtual workspaces, allowing you to collaborate, interpret body language, and experience a connection impossible with today’s technology. These advances will enable companies to hold team-building exercises, brainstorming sessions, and more with employees worldwide.
Merging Physical and Virtual Worlds
The emergence of the internet in 1995 transformed how the world communicated, bringing people together from all across the globe. XR promises to be the next giant step in technology, bringing people together with the physical and virtual world converging.
Unlike in 1995 when a computer was needed to log onto the World Wide Web, today we carry the internet in our pockets, backpacks, and purses. Smartphones and tablets allow us to stay in touch with family and friends wherever we are and keep up with everything happening in the office, even when we’d prefer to disconnect.
The smartphone market is an important point in the evolution of the internet, and AR and VR promise to be the next iteration of the internet revolution. While Google Glass failed to make AR headsets mainstream, other internet leaders are working on next-generation products that promise to change how we interact with the world.
Rumors have circulated about Apple developing AR headsets that would replace the iPhone within a decade, and Facebook’s purchase of VR headset developer Oculus in 2014 marked its entrance into the world of XR. With major companies backing AR and VR technology, it’s only a matter of time before they become mainstream. Arguably, the future of AR and VR is as big, if not bigger, than the internet.
