Exploring the Future of Augmented Reality Books

Immersive technologies are on the rise, but what will it take for AR books to become mainstream?

The popularity of technologies like augmented reality is increasing as more publishers use them to engage young readers. In the US, only 38% of 4th graders and 19% of 8th graders report reading on their own time, and technologies such as AR are seen as a way to reach a generation which grew up constantly interacting with screens and digital content.

This also forms part of a broader shift towards empowering readers and engaging them in the creative process. A recent World Economic Forum report listed creativity as one of the top skills needed for workers to thrive by 2020, and such interactive technologies are key in accomplishing this.

Augmented reality is far from a new phenomenon, however, and many in the publishing industry have been investing in this area for some time. Carlton Books, for example, has sold over 3 million books powered by its proprietary AR technology platform Digital Magic in 31 countries and 28 languages. As the company’s digital director Japhet Asher explains, however, the technology and its applications have evolved considerably in the seven years since they launched Digital Magic.

“Most of our early AR books have been about a particular subject or story, with the…