Why WebAR Will Inspire Creatives to be More Imaginative

Facebook’s outage last month was actually a good thing… for creatives working in AR. Though we were reminded as an industry just how reliant we still are on the platform, it also signposted a clearer call for WebAR to emerge as an alternate model for hosting augmented reality experiences.

Since the birth of AR, most experiences have taken place on social media platforms or through in-app activations, making users and creatives largely dependent on their native functions. However, this doesn’t have to be the case.

WebAR offers users new ways to access augmented realities through internet browsers, which means they don’t have to download an app each time they want to enter an AR experience. While this may have been mildly annoying for users – especially those with limited storage space on their phone – it’s going to be a real game changer for AR creatives.

Unlimited potential

Although Web-based AR is still in its nascent form, the untapped potential for its growth is huge. And for creatives keen to push the tech as far as it will go, WebAR will free them from a lot of the constraints currently limiting experiences in social AR.

There are inherent restrictions in place around creating experiences in social AR, as experiences are bound by a maximum of 8MB and have to comply with specific formatting requirements of the social media platform they’re hosted on.

WebAR, in contrast, is limitless in both these regards – as the browser can decide its sizing and formatting preferences, providing greater narrative and storytelling details for creatives. On social AR, creatives tend to resort to using simplistic filters and lenses to overcome sizing constraints, but in WebAR, they can dream big.

WebAR restores creative control back to the creators and provides them with endless possibilities for creating new and exciting experiences.

The future is AR 

There have already been a surge of new AR experiences that have reshaped the way AR has traditionally worked, embedding higher quality visuals and information into campaigns to feed AR users with inspiration.  

The Pink Floyd AR experience, a collaboration between Sony Music Entertainment and Draw & Code, springs to mind. It transported music fans into the world of The Later Years 18-disc box set bringing to life the band’s visuals and album covers - and exploring their knack for creative experimentation in a medium that compliments their desire to test-drive new concepts.

Social AR vs WebAR

The rise of WebAR won’t kill off social AR, instead it will evolve AR as a format.

WebAR as it currently stands is less clunky than social AR; users only need a weblink to enter the experience. This removes obstacles around installation and accessibility that currently plague social and native AR.

The technology available on native apps is different and performs at a higher rate than it currently does on WebAR but AR companies are actively working to improve the speed of experiences and the graphic quality. The tech for high-end WebArt experiences is also being developed and once these are built, they will be just as advanced as current in-app software.

We’ve created a number of innovative WebAR experiences, such as Through The Bricks for Lego using 8thWall’s technology - to transport users into Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. Users only needed to click a URL link located on Lego’s main website to access the AR features and meander down the cobbled streets, dipping in and out of shops ahead of another term at Hogwarts.

The potential for WebAR knows no bounds; we will be just as accessible from the comfort of your own home as well out of the home, the revolution has just begun.

The future is bright, the future is WebAR!