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Home  Volume Four (2010)
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| Mobile Apps, Augmented Reality, and Another Business Model |
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| Written by Joe Callan |
| Wednesday, 14 July 2010 19:46 |
Where our technology will take us in another generation is anybody’s guess, but one thing is for sure: we are eating up mobile media like crazy. Programs from pointless games to organziation solutions fully-integrating scheduling, GPS, contacts, and location reporting are flying off digital shelves in the Apple, Android and Blackberry app stores.
Something I’m beginning to notice: the advertisements are actually starting to become relevant. Just a couple of days ago I saw an ad for a local restaurant on one of my apps. That means at least two things. First, it means even small-time phone app developers are benefitting from more accurate visitor targeting. Second, it means that local businesses are starting to become convinced of the power of the web. Whether that restaurant specifically knew they were signing up for mobile traffic, I can’t say—but seeing such an accurately targeted advertisement makes it clear: the web in undergoing a revolution in market relevance, especially through the world of mobile devices. Let me use an example. I’m wandering around New York City with Layar, a neat-o augmented reality app. Yes, augmented reality. Those of you know know the term obviously need no explanation, but if you’ve been shying away from the newest generation of mobile devices, “augmented reality” (AR) might sound a little Arthur C. Clarke. The term has been around since the early nineties, but because of recent practical (and not so practical) applications, the term has become more mainstream. Basically, augmented reality takes a view of the real world using a device’s camera and overlays or “augments” the view with additional information that is virtually generated in regard to where the user’s display is pointing. And, okay--so I’m a nerd, but this is probably the best way of describing it: remember when we got to see the world from the T-800’s eyes in Terminator 2? Think of AR as a way for a person to see the world that way, except it won’t be quite so RED, and instead of looking for John and Sarah Connor, you’ll be looking for directions to a meeting with your client and maybe the nearest access to the subway. I hold up my phone, pointing the camera down the street, and a window pops up in the display: 1-2-3 Downtown, 96th street, 350 ft. away. Now that’s obviously an example of a practical use of AR, but it can be fun and games too. For instance, an Android-based game called “SpecTrek” uses GPS points and augmented reality to emulate ghosts roaming a nearby area. The point of the game (if you’re not afraid you’ll look crazy chasing down things no one else can see) is to use your phone to track down the path of the emulated GPS waypoints, hold up your camera and “capture” the AR ghost with your phone. Sure, it sounds silly, but at $2, almost anything is worth a try. (And I have to admit, chasing GPS waypoints can be an exhausting workout!) And think about it: if 30,000 customers like your app, it doesn’t much matter whether it’s a novelty or a utility belt. Which brings me back to my point: phone apps are chock-full of opportunities, both on the investment side and the development side. Maybe you’ve got just the right .mobi in your portfolio to lease out to an app developer. Maybe you’re an app developer that wants to offer a free app, but only if you can make a return on strong, targeted advertising based on a visitor’s position. Mobile App libraries are growing at an incredible rate, and innovative domainers and developers alike may find this an interesting new niche to explore.
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| Last Updated on Tuesday, 27 July 2010 19:37 |
Many of these applications are even free, and in exchange for their utility or entertainment value, a user only has to put up with a small text pop-up in some part of the program.