The giant Facebook is betting on Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. It recently announced new features that add to the wave of innovations that are emerging in this field.
During the annual developer conference F8, Facebook made public new developments in its platform. In them they hinted at their commitment to the latest technologies.
Augmented Reality in Facebook Messenger
One of the updates the company will be rolling out involves incorporating AR into the Facebook Messenger for Business app.
"Augmented reality is the natural next step for advertising as commerce moves away from physical stores." Head of Product at Messenger.
This new initiative will allow customers to visualize products before buying them. An initiative that Apple already did with IKEA or our App Alice .
During the conference, Facebook made public some of the partners that have already joined this initiative. Among which are technology manufacturer ASUS, car company KIA, Nike or Sephora.
With this update people interacting with companies on Messenger will be able to live a different experience. In it, the camera will open to access AR filters and effects.
Firms will showcase their products within the sponsored area of Messenger. In addition, they will be able to offer experiences such as seeing a KIA car, a Nike sports car or trying out new makeup on their face.
The idea is to integrate these types of experiences into the company-customer conversations that are already happening through Messenger. Companies will not be able to send messages to their followers to test their new Augmented Reality feature. However, they will be able to if they have previously interacted or clicked on a brand ad.
Using Augmented Reality as a communication tool is something that many companies have been betting on for some time now. One example is GRB DRY, a company for which we created an application that allowed its customers to understand, through AR, the innovations incorporated in their products.
Launch of the new Oculus Go
However, the big news came with the launch of the Oculus Go. A new device that promises to make VR an attainable technology. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of the well-known social network, presented them during this event.
It consists of a viewer with which it is intended to extend the use of Virtual Reality. But how? Through a figure achievable for everyone: 219€.
The innovation lies in the fact that it is an independent device. The headset does not need to be connected to a computer or mobile device to work. All of its smartphone-level processing power is inside the headset. Plus, it's completely wireless, requiring no wires of any kind.
The device can hold up to two hours of use before needing a charge. Unfortunately, its wireless package has some limitations, as it is designed for seated play only. That is, it doesn't track any movement other than head position.
It's still a large device to put on your head, which remains a part of the equation that no company has been able to save. But for now, the accessibility of the Oculus Go is an important step towards the future of Virtual Reality.
