For those of you unfamiliar with augmented reality technology, it is defined by Wikipedia as “a live direct or indirect view of a physical real-world environment whose elements are augmented by virtual computer-generated imagery – creating a mixed reality.” In other words, the technology allows developers to lay pictures, text, video, etc. over top of a live image.
In Yelp’s case, the augmented reality feature allows users to point their iPhones at restaurants, bars or businesses in order to receive information (including contact info and consumer ratings) about the establishment. This data is presented as an overlay on top of the iPhone’s video screen. Watch this thing in action:
Yelp’s app puts consumer reviews and other valuable information directly in the hands of iPhone users. By simply pointing their phone’s camera at a random building, they’re instantly provided with consumer-to-consumer recommendations, making their purchase decisions that much easier.
As more applications like Yelp begin utilizing augmented reality technology, consumers will rely less and less on the web (and your website) to acquire information. They’ll be instantly fed this data without having to lift a finger. Literally thousands of consumer reviews could appear right in front of their eyes…even more of a reason that you should be keeping tabs on what’s being said about you on the web.
In a following post, I will discuss some possible ways that different businesses and industries may be able to utilize augmented reality to engage their customers. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts on the topic, please feel free to leave them in the comment section.
