Two Ways to Create Mobile AR Experiences for Your Company
Augmented Reality experiences have become more capable and accessible than ever — and not just for giant, venture-backed tech companies. AR is a powerful new tool that companies of all kinds, across all industries, can start using right now to connect with customers, equip your employees, and make more money.
Obviously, you don’t need to become an expert coder to make this happen for your business; but you do need to know just enough about the two main routes you can take to get there so you can choose the best one.
First, let’s get our terms straight real quick. You can find these definitions (including “what you need to know” about each) in one of my previous articles.
AAugmented Reality (AR) refers to overlaying computer-generated virtual elements information on top of a real environment, sort of like a “heads-up display” (HUD). AR normally uses either a live camera on a smartphone screen or AR-glasses.
V Virtual Reality (VR) is a 3-dimensional simulation that can either imitate the real world or be something completely different. VR environments are created by artists using 360° video or 3D models, which are then generally spec’d out in a gaming engine such as Unity or Unreal.
M Mixed Reality (MR) lives in the space between VR and AR, where reality and computer-generated virtuality are blended together in different, fluctuating proportions.
Mixed Reality headsets enable the highest fidelity experience for users interacting with each other, the real world, and the virtual. They’re currently the pinnacle of augmented/mixed reality experiences in many ways.
But since they’re the best… they’re also the most expensive. The headsets alone average around $3,000, and they’re the most expensive to create.
That’s why mobile AR (using smartphones or tablets instead of headsets) is such a powerful option. Mobile AR has made it possible to make engaging experiences for more people and less money.
Here’s where we hit the fork in the road
There are two ways to create a mobile AR experience, and they come with completely different pro/con lists. This is the big primary decision that you’ll have to make right out of the gate, so that’s what I’ll walk you through now.
Option 1: Native App
- AR functionality built into a standalone application that a user downloads from the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android)
Option 2: Web-Based
- AR functionality built to run straight from a browser such as Chrome, Safari, Edge, Firefox, etc.
Both have strengths and weaknesses, and I’ll give you the full rundown so you feel confident which path to choose.
Native App
In general, deploying AR functionality through a native app is higher cost, higher reward. Here’s the breakdown.
Pros
👍 Native apps enable the highest fidelity and best quality experience available on a mobile device.
- Applications can be built using Unity or Unreal gaming engines. Essentially anything you can dream up can be created; these engines are MASSIVELY powerful. From the highest graphics that a phone can render to any type of game physics, animations, etc can be created.
👍 If your business already has a native app you can much more easily add AR functionality to it.
👍 No internet required to use the application, if you build it without needing a connection.
👍 Generally, you will own the Intellectual Property (IP) of the application (obviously depending on your contract with any outside developers).
Cons
👎 Although Unity and Unreal have their own versions of “low code” creation tools, you are going to want a strong developer (or team) to create the application. Great software development does not come cheap.
👎 Creating and publishing an app is a resource-intensive project in and of itself.
- It’s a big commitment in the short term. There is a lot that goes into creating and publishing a native application. Beyond just creating the AR experience (find my high-level guide to creating AR experiences here), the application needs splash screens, branded icons, time to complete tests to ensure the mobile experience works across multiple mobile devices, time to submit to the iOS and Android store and haggle with the store team if there are any issues, etc.
👎 Maintenance is on you.
- An app is a big commitment in the long term, too. Once the product is live, it must be consistently monitored and updated. Bugs need to be squashed, new operating systems need to be updated for, and new mobile devices like the iPhone 25 will add new features, sizes, and more.
👎 Users might not download your application to get the AR experience.
- They will need significant motivation to download and keep returning to the app, so it has to be something that provides lasting value — or they won’t ever even see it.
👎 Multiple operating systems need to be supported (such as iOS and Android) which means at least 2 different apps being created.
- That’s not to mention the very different UI systems that might need to be handled for various tablet sizes, landscape vs portrait, etc. Even if most of the code is shared, there are still differences on UI (User Interface) layouts, screenshots to submit to the stores, and two apps to QA and maintain.
The most important questions you’ll have to answer before heading this direction:
➊ Do you already have an app that you’re in full control of? If so, that significantly changes the conversation.
➋ What’s the staying power of what you want to create? Are you providing a one-time experience, or recurring value?
➌ Are you sure it’s going to work and provide value? Is it happening elsewhere in your industry in some capacity?
First Steps
For a fuller rundown of how to get yoru business started in XR right now, check out a previous article of mine called Stop Waiting for Apple’s Smart Glasses. You’ll see what personnel are required and what needs to be completed.
At the top of the list is a product manager or producer that will help create what the specific experience will be — you need a true “owner” of this sector of the business.
Once that is defined, you will then hone in on the assets needed for the specific XR experience you want to create. Here are the main buckets that they all breakdown into:
- Storyboarded/scripted spatial experiences (created by a producer or product manager)
- 3D models (created by a team of designers/artists)
- Game mechanics/code (created by software developers)
- Audio files (created by audio engineers)
- Text (depends on use case, but often created by producer or copywriters)
- Images (depends on use case, but often created by design/art department)
Web-Based
In general, deploying AR functionality through a web-based app is lower cost, lower complexity and immersion. Here’s the breakdown.
Pros
👍 Implementation is quicker and easier.
- While you could build your own WebAR experience from scratch, you’ll most likely want to use a software vendor such as 8th wall. Their platform offers a “complete set of tools to create interactive augmented reality — no app required.”
👍 Maintenance is handled by your software vendor!
- Once you create your experience, it is on the vendor to ensure their platform works with the latest operating system, the latest mobile device, and that the platform is free of bugs.
👍 Cost is dramatically lower.
- The average AR experience is going to cost 1%-10% of the cost of creating it using a web-based no-code/low-code software vs a native app.
👍 It’s more accessible and scales easier.
- Almost anyone that you are going to be trying to sell to will have a smartphone with internet access, and a simple link will bring them right into the AR experience.
Cons
👎 The experience will require a fast reliable internet connection.
- The heavier the experience (in terms of content and high realism), the longer it will take to load. This means engagement rates might be artificially low, because users might not have the patience to wait for the entire experience to load. You also might not be able to get as much content into the experience as you desired.
👎 Most of these web-based vendors charge a monthly fee, and it does rack up over time.
👎 It’s stuck where it is.
- Once you create the experience, there is no way to port it to a different website… so might be able to reuse the 3D models but everything else has to be recreated if you decide to go with a different website.
The most important questions you’ll have to answer before heading this direction:
➊ Are you trying to implement a temporary sales tactic or long-lasting functionality? In the short term, web-based is the way to go.
➋ Are you testing out an experience? If so, web-based is quick, easy to change, and easy to kill if it doesn’t work.
➌ Do you have personnel that can code AR experiences? If not, web-based has the no-code options that you’ll need.
First Steps
Here are a few top-notch web-based mobile AR builders. Each one comes with its own pros and cons, but we’ll cover that another time.
- 8th Wall is a fantastic platform that scales across the spectrum to support a huge variety of different use cases from no-code, low-code, to (essentially) full-code AR experiences. It can grow with you.
- blippAR blew up (in a good way — they got HUGE)… then blew up (in a bad way… they nearly closed down)… and then came back to life (hopefully in a good way!) They seem to be back in a strong way, offering their services at great rates.
- Zapworks has an online low-code/no-code solution as well as Unity SDK if you want it, meaning you can connect to Unity as a full-code builder for specific experiences.
- HoloLink is newer on the AR block, but has come out of the gate with great pricing!
- Sketchfab isn’t truly built for WebXR per se, but I had to bring it up as an honorable mention. If you’re just hoping to whitelabel some 3D models with simple, limited animations, then this is an excellent resource.
To make a long story short:
Go with native applications for mobile AR experiences if you need the highest fidelity experience possible and you’re willing to invest the time, money, and long term commitment.
Go with web-based AR experiences if you are looking for simpler experiences and faster deployments with lower investment and commitment.
Two questions before you go:
➊ Have you created AR experiences for your business yet? What platform did you use if you went web-based? Comment and let me know!
➋ Do you need further guidance on how to navigate this for your business specifically? DM me on LinkedIn and we can chat!
