Say what you will about Apple Vision Pro (and its price tag), but it will have an impact on the spatial computing market. Regardless of unit sales – which is not Apple’s primary goal for version 1 of the device as we examined last week – it will confer Apple’s signature “halo effect” on spatial computing.
Zeroing in on just one flavor of spatial computing, there was already (pre-AVP) interest and investment in immersive marketing. This entails brands and retailers that use immersive product try-ons through camera interfaces to boost buyer confidence… which increases conversions and lessens returns.
Back to the halo effect, that existing spatial subsegment seems to be accelerating in the wake of Apple Vision Pro’s launch. Just looking at anecdotal market evidence (part of the analyst job description), we’re seeing an uptick in the number of product launches around immersive marketing tech.
So to synthesize those observations, here are a few examples we’ve seen in the last week alone…
Amazon
Amazon has been slowly testing the waters of immersive marketing and AR-fueled shopping. Its latest move came this week through a partnership with 3D visualization platform Hexa. It will position the latter’s low-friction 3D modeling technology for Amazon merchants to offer 3D try-ons.
As background, one of the bottlenecks in immersive marketing is its key ingredient – 3D models themselves. Generating them traditionally requires advanced photogrammetry techniques. But those barriers have lowered recently, including Hexa’s technology that stitches 3D models from 2D photos.
With this week’s partnership, Amazon merchants gain access to Hexa’s technology, integrated right into their Amazon workflows and stores. It enables standard 360 “zoom & rotate” features on 2D screens, as well as dimensional AR try-ons through a smartphone camera, which is ideal for clothing and furniture.
ZERO10
AR fashion company ZERO10 specializes in AR mirrors. Similar to the technology that Amazon and Snap have started to roll out, these smart mirror’s let you virtually try on clothes. The company had successful activations with Tommy Hilfiger and Coach, and is now launching its own prototype store.
Its first location in Paris demonstrates the technology which can be placed in-store and in shop windows. Taking those one at a time, the in-store placement is meant to streamline the act of trying on clothes. It brings all kinds of operational advantages including just-in-time inventory and smaller store footprints.
The shop-window use case meanwhile lets passers-by dynamically swipe through and try on various garments. It’s part gimmick to get pedestrians to stop and play with the novel feature… but it also has real business outcomes in whetting the appetites of customers who end up getting lured into the store.
Geenee
Lastly, immersive marketing specialist Geenee has announced updates to its virtual try-on platform. As background, Geenee offers a software suite that enables AR shopping experiences for brands and retailers, including 3D modeling and advanced techniques like full-body tracking for outfit try-ons.
The latest updates include an integrated ad campaign manager. This is meant to help brands and marketers not just build immersive marketing experiences but amplify them. This happens through a partnership with AudienceX, which enables 3D try-on functionality in common ad formats.
Geenee also now offers capabilities to integrate 3D try-on functionality in existing eCommerce sites, thus democratizing this capability to down-market players like SMBs. Lastly, Geenee’s platform now also offers smart mirrors for physical retail locations. The latter “mirrors” ZERO10’s move above.
So there you have it. We’ll keep our radar screens up for additional evidence of immersive marketing’s acceleration.
