Market Reality: Google Pushes Web AR, Lil Nas X Goes Immersive, Coinbase & Ray-Ban Snapchat into AR Marketing

This week, Google showed off some wild new and innovative AR experiences that showcase the WebXR protocol for browser-based AR content, while 8th Wall applied its own web-based AR platform in service of Captain Morgan.

Meanwhile, other brands, including Hulu, Coinbase, and Ray-Ban, are leaning on Snapchat to generate awareness and sales for their offerings.

Speaking of Snapchat, it has also become a destination for music artists to draw attention to their new singles and albums. However, one music artist capturing headlines has gone into another rather interesting direction.

Google Shows Off WebXR Experiments for Android & Chrome

On its Experiments with Google hub, Google has aggregated a collection of AR experiences built on the WebXR standard that show off the outer reaches of what is possible for web-based AR development.

Probably the coolest of the AR experiences in the WebXR collection is Floom, which opens a portal to the other side of the globe at your feet.

Continue reading to learn more about Floom and the other WebXR experiments and the implications these boundary-pushing AR experiences have on the future...

REALITY BITES: And another domino falls in the annual developer conference rounds... Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced via Twitter that I/O, Google's annual developer's conference, will take place virtually May 18-20, 2021. Like Apple's WWDC, Facebook's F8, and Snap's Partner Summit, I/O has become a showcase for Google's innovations in the AR space, including new capabilities for ARCore and AR features for apps like Google Maps and Google Search.

Brands Like Hulu & Captain Morgan Flock to Snapchat & 8th Wall for AR Adverts

We've reached the point in the trajectory of augmented reality's growth where AR advertising experiences are becoming commonplace tactics rather than rare experiments.

Some of the more impressive examples of AR ads to emerge recently come from Hulu, Coinbase and Ray-Ban via Snapchat, along with a web-based AR experience from Captain Morgan built with the 8th Wall Web platform.

Read further how these brands are using AR to promote their products and services and how their approaches are indicative of an emerging trend in AR marketing strategies...

REALITY BITES: In an interview with Kara Swisher of The New York Times, Apple CEO Tim Cook remained coy about any products that "may or may not be in the pipeline." But he did talk about one interesting use case for AR wearables in enhancing conversations, with charts and graphs appearing in the field of view and confirmed that AR is an important technology for Apple's future growth.

Snap Is Becoming the Home for AR Music Marketing

Snapchat and its augmented reality capabilities have become a haven for music artists seeking to promote their new albums or simply amplify their art with immersive experiences.

We've seen the likes of Drake, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande publish Snapchat Lenses to push their new releases, while Bruno Mars, Missy Elliott, Imagine Dragons, Panic! At the Disco, and more have created augmented reality effects with Lens Studio that act as extensions of their work.

Continue reading to see how Billie Eilish, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, and The Beatles are leveraging Snapchat AR to engage with fans...

REALITY BITES: Magic Leap has recruited two former Microsoft employees to its team. First, Tracey Trewin will fill the role of chief product officer. Over the course of her 25 years at Microsoft, Trewin specialized in evolving early-stage technology into products for enterprises and consumers, with her more recent experience including augmented reality services. Second, Anuj Gosalia will serve as senior vice president & chief software and cloud officer. Gosalia arrives from Google, where he led development on ARCore, Google Lens, and Google Maps Live View over the past four years; he previously spent three years at Oculus/Facebook and 19 years at Microsoft in engineering and development roles.

Lil Nas X Taps Jadu to Promote Controversial New Single

In a story that's stranger than fiction, the "Old Town Road" rapper has ruffled some feathers with the video for his new single, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)" filled with demonic imagery usually reserved for death metal bands.

As if that weren't enough, his collaboration with sneaker designer MSCHF to release "Satan Shoes" (customized Nike Air Max 97s with human blood-infused ink injected into the shoe's air pocket) has resulted in a lawsuit from Nike.

Read further to find out how AR app Jadu and Lil Nas X are capitalizing on the hype with volumetric video...

Every Friday, Next Reality reviews the latest headlines from the financial side of augmented and mixed reality. This weekly Market Reality column covers funding announcements, mergers and acquisitions, market analysis, and the like. Check out previous editions of Market Reality for more news you may have missed.