The past decade has been one of the most transformative technological eras in all of human history. That’s not an exaggeration. From chatbots that write with language barely distinguishable from a human to AI that generates entire paintings based on a single prompt, tech has been leaping from the pages of ‘50s sci-fi books into the hands of everyday users. Mixed reality is one of those technologies.

The history of mixed reality goes back to the 1950s, but augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices only became mainstream with the Kickstarter campaign for the Oculus Rift in 2012. That was followed by Google Glass in 2013, the first mainstream attempt at integrating AR into the daily lives of users. These two devices built the foundation for what mixed reality looks like now: a well-established way to engage with media, work, and each other.

This means a whole new world of opportunities for developers, especially for augmented reality. Here’s how AR is transforming how we interact and engage with our work, products, and personal lives!

Upgrading Our Workplaces

From training to meetings, AR in the workplace has had a profound impact on the professional sector.

Training

Effective training is always hands-on. That’s why employee training is expensive for most companies, in both dollars and hours. New employees need at least one person teaching them, requiring businesses to pay for multiple employees who aren’t actually producing anything.

AR development changes that. For example, instead of heavy machinery operators needing supervision while learning controls and safety practices, an immersive simulated machine gives them the exact same training with far lower overhead and risk. Integrating VR training into the onboarding process for new employees is a no-brainer.

Field Work

AR is invaluable in the field. Construction workers can use AR to efficiently plan electrical wiring routes in new buildings. Architects can view or design a virtual model of a finished project at the job site before construction even begins. Park rangers can use AR apps to identify plants and animal droppings.

Remote Work Collaboration

Video conferencing gets the job done for collaboration between remote workers, but it’s awkward. Companies like Apple and Meta are using mixed reality to get the best of both worlds. Apple’s integration of FaceTime into the Vision Pro allows users to show their entire room to collaborators, including whiteboards and physical work materials like papers. Meta’s Horizons workspaces go beyond AR to give people a fully virtual space to host meetings. Ironically, we’re using digital platforms to recapture organic interactions.

Transforming Consumerism

Thanks to AR and VR, customers can engage with media, games, and shopping in more immersive ways than ever before.

Movies and Streaming

We don’t have to watch content on just a screen. One of the primary uses for the Apple Vision Pro is watching movies and shows. This might seem basic, but there’s actually a really good reason for that: eliminating glare. With a standard TV, any daylight hitting the display creates glare. With the lighting in cinema becoming darker on average, that glare can make a scene completely unwatchable.

But with a device like the Apple Vision Pro, that isn’t an issue. Not only will no daylight hit the virtual display a movie is playing on, but users can also dim the lighting of their environment to make those dark scenes more visible!

Gaming

With the release of the Oculus Rift, the industry of headset-based VR gaming at home was born. This opened the door to all-new ideas for how people could interact with virtual game environments, revolutionizing existing genres and creating new ones. Beat Saber, one of the most iconic VR games ever, is a rhythm game, making it a spiritual successor to games like Guitar Hero!

But the introduction of VR into the mainstream didn’t just revolutionize gaming at home. It also paved the way for an entirely new industry: VR arcades. These arcades feature a mix of both VR and AR experiences. For example, two players in a ball pit can compete against each other to see who can throw more balls of a specific color against a display, which counts each impact. They can play catch with a virtual ball. Alternatively, they can work together in a medical-themed AR experience, where physical tools are used to perform a virtual operation on a patient.

Shopping

AR shopping combines the best of both online and in-store shopping — and then does more. In-store shopping allows customers to see products in person, but that requires leaving the house. With online shopping, customers can shop while staying home, but they have to rely on product dimensions and photos to decide if it’s a good purchase.

Sometimes it works out. But when it doesn’t, a customer needs to return the item, usually by shipping it back. Paying for shipping labels for returns that the company often can’t even resell costs businesses a lot of money.

By using AR, however, a customer can try out a virtual version of the product without needing anything other than their phone. They can do a test fit of a blender on a counter. If they’re shopping for clothes, they can stand in front of a mirror and see how a shirt, dress, or jacket looks superimposed on them. It’s a brand new way to engage with ecommerce that’s a win for both the customer and the businesses!

AR: The Next Step in Digital Interactivity

We’re still in the very beginning of mixed reality technology — and as developers, that is the most exciting time to be living in. It’s already influencing how we engage with both our professional and personal lives. As we adjust to this new normal, we have to ask ourselves: what is it that the future holds for this tech? What will virtual and augmented reality look like in a year? Ten years? Fifty years?

I’ve got great news: we’ll be the ones who decide.