3D experience vs VR & AR applications
From a brand’s perspective, which technology delivers the best user experience — 3D content or VR & AR applications?
As a leading 3D visual content provider, at Hubstairs we regularly interact with a wide range of businesses and entrepreneurs within the Home and Living industry. Lately, we have encountered a growing interest in Alternative Reality or Virtual Reality (AR/VR). Driven by the buzz surrounding the second renaissance of these technologies and the need to deliver customer-centric experiences, businesses are looking for ways to tap into the immersive engagement offered by VR & AR applications.
However, before you jump headfirst and invest in an AR/VR app, it is very important to understand what these different technologies offer and whether they are a good fit for your brand. In short, is it worth the money you will spend or can your business get the same benefits from 3D content — more affordably and easily?
The AR & VR Growth Story
The first wave of AR & VR technology came with a lot of fanfare and market excitement, but the users were let down by technology and the expense of producing native content.
Brands opted for cheaper impersonations — layering 2D or using 360° panorama content — instead of investing in native VR/AR scenarios.
Also, the headsets didn’t really support true VR environments and passed off 3DOF (3 degrees of freedom) as VR/AR. All in all, the hype didn’t really match the reality.
Now we see a resurgence — new investments being pumped in the industry — namely in the form of Facebook’s acquisition of Oculus for $2bn in 2014 — have got everyone talking again. Also, there are substantial innovations taking place in the AR/VR industry with the two biggest technology giants positioning their AR products in the market — Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore. On the hardware side of things, headset company Magic Leap has raked in over $2 Billion in startup funding.
All this has got the AR/VR scene buzzing again, which could explain brands trying to jump on the next big bandwagon.
The Case For 3D
After reading all the exciting news about the upcoming AR/VR revolution, you must be wondering, why are we still promoting 3D?
Well, for one simple reason — the foundation of good AR/VR experience is 3D! To achieve true AR & VR 6 degrees of freedom, you need to start with a 3-dimensional scene or object. The process is the same, and so are most of the design tools.
However, that’s not what we are talking about. We are taking you a step further in the direction of 3D content and recommending that you stick to 3D content only. Here’s why -
1. Good AR & VR is very expensive — Unless you have a huge budget, it is virtually impossible to create an authentic AR/VR experience. You really must think whether your business needs an AR/VR app, and is it worth the money you will spend on it?
Also, if you do need to compromise on providing the real AR/VR quality — what is the best way to integrate 2D content or 3DOF to get the results you need? Does a less-than-perfect AR/VR application merit the cost and the time investment?
2. 3D has better reach and engagement — 3D content doesn’t require special phones, applications, or headsets. After all, how many people sit around with headsets strapped around their heads. In fact, most people don’t even own one. The headset distribution is still quite small, and as they are bulky, they are not really carried around and used regularly. 3D content, on the other hand, is more easily accessible and as it is not dependent on external accessories, it is also user friendly.
3. 3D is platform and device agnostic — You can access 3D anywhere, on any browser, any operating system, and on any device. This ensures that your 3D content will be viewed and will engage many more potential consumers. When it comes to reach, there is no comparison — 3D outstrips VR/AR content easily.
Conclusion
No one can doubt the immersiveness that AR and VR technologies offer. 3D content on 2D surfaces can never come close to that. But currently, our entire digital ecosystem is geared more towards making 3D accessible. Hence, for businesses now it makes more sense to get better quality 3D content than settle for cheaper AR/VR content — not only will it cost more, it also cannot compete against the reach 3D offers.
Moreover, think of it like this — your 3D content can always be used in an AR & VR scenario when the technologies catch up! Just keep the files handy.
