Trends 2025 / 4 min read

2025: A year of growth for Augmented and Virtual Reality

By Elri / November 20, 2024

In 2025, Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are set to make significant strides, transforming various aspects of our daily lives.

While AR and VR are currently associated with gaming apps, I recently bought furniture online that allowed me to view the piece in my living room (see below ‘What is WebAR?’) How cool is that?

AR and VR will transform industries like fashion and beauty brands, where you can explore virtual try-ons, allowing for immersive shopping experiences and reshaping customer expectations. As a business, embrace AR and VR and consider investing in a platform that aligns with your industry.

It will differentiate your brand in a competitive market.

28 Icons for 3D visualisation VR & AR

What are the key trends for 2025?

Advances in artificial intelligence are enhancing AR and VR experiences by improving rendering, tracking, and processing. This is particularly impactful in gaming, education, and medical training, where realistic simulations and interactive environments are crucial.
AR avatars are becoming more common, blending the physical and digital worlds. These avatars can serve as virtual assistants, providing personalised support and recommendations in retail and social media.
The rollout of 5G networks is expected to significantly boost AR and VR applications by providing faster and more reliable connections. This will enable more seamless and immersive experiences.
Web-based AR (WebAR) is gaining traction, allowing users to access AR experiences directly through their browsers without needing specialised apps. This trend is making AR more accessible and versatile.
The development of more advanced and comfortable wearable devices, such as AR glasses and VR headsets, is making these technologies more user-friendly and integrated into everyday life.

What is WebAR?

Web-based Augmented Reality (WebAR) is a technology that allows users to experience augmented reality directly through their web browsers, without the need to download any specialised apps or software.

WebAR can be accessed on any device with a camera and a web browser, such as smartphones, tablets, or PCs. This makes it highly accessible and user-friendly. Users simply need to visit a specific URL or scan a QR code to start an AR experience. This eliminates the need for downloading and installing apps, which can be a barrier for many users.

AR and VR will transform industries like medical training, fashion and beauty brands

WebAR is used in various fields, including marketing, education, and entertainment. For example, it can bring product labels to life, create interactive product demos, or provide immersive educational content.

Just like traditional websites, WebAR experiences can track user interactions, providing valuable data on engagement and behaviour and can also be more cost-effective compared to app-based AR, as it avoids the complexities and expenses associated with app development and distribution.

Overall, WebAR is a versatile and powerful tool that is making augmented reality more accessible and integrated into everyday digital experiences.

What other types of content can I enhance with AR?

Augmented Reality (AR) can enhance a wide variety of content, making it more interactive and engaging.

Static AR Content:

Print Media: Magazines, books, and brochures can come to life with AR, providing additional information, videos, or 3D models when scanned with a device
Posters and Flyers: Adding AR elements to posters and flyers can make them more engaging by including animations or interactive elements

Interactive AR Content:

Educational Materials: Textbooks and educational posters can include interactive 3D models and simulations, making learning more immersive and hands-on
Training Manuals: AR can provide step-by-step instructions and interactive guides for complex tasks, enhancing training and onboarding processes

Animated AR Content:

Marketing Campaigns: Brands can create animated AR experiences to showcase products more dynamically and engagingly, such as virtual try-ons for fashion or cosmetics
Entertainment: AR can add animated characters or effects to real-world environments, enhancing games and interactive stories

Location-Based AR Content:

Tourism and Navigation: AR can provide real-time information and historical context about landmarks and attractions, enhancing the travel experience
Retail: Stores can use location-based AR to guide customers to products, offer promotions, or provide additional product

These examples show how versatile AR can be in enhancing various types of content, making it more engaging and interactive.

Apps where you can explore virtual try-ons

How’s AR integrated into the Reptile app?

The Reptile app is a low-code platform designed to streamline the development of native apps, and it leverages emerging technologies like Augmented Reality (AR) to enhance user experiences https://www.reptile.app/blogs/exploring-new-frontiers/

Here’s how AR is integrated into the Reptile app:

Enhanced User Experience: AR can be used to create more immersive and interactive app experiences. For example, AR can bring static images to life, provide interactive 3D models, and overlay digital information in the real world.

Real-Time Previews: The Reptile app allows developers to preview their AR content in real time. This feature helps in testing and refining AR experiences before they go live.

Educational and Interactive Content: AR can be used to create engaging educational content.

Ease of Integration: The Reptile app’s CMS (Content Management System) supports the integration of AR features, making it easier for developers to add AR elements to their apps without extensive coding https://www.reptile.app/

If you’re interested in creating AR experiences with the Reptile app, you can start by exploring their platform and utilising their tools for building and previewing AR content.

If you haven’t got an app yet, we build apps faster, smarter and at 1/3 of the costs of most app developers – see Journey of building a mobile app - five things to look out for.