Augmented reality is moving fast from a novel form of Smartphone interactivity to a killer application as demonstrated in this article today on MobileMarketer.com.
Few marketers would argue with the value of giving customers the ability to use their mobile devices as literal gateways into all their business has to offer, and that is exactly what a company called GeoVector has done via an application called World Surfer, available for the iPhone and Android platforms.
“With its technology, GeoVector can attach any type of data to a place on Earth or via latitude and longitude coordinates.”
This capability has the potential to transform any storefront type business into a “mobile business,” by connecting a store with its customers and customers with relevant advertising messages. The possible applications are endless, as noted in the article, yet all of this rich interactivity is designed to encourage commerce on a level unheard of before.
Static signage, hoped for brand awareness, billboards and the Yellow pages will no longer matter once every business is represented in a database such as GeoVector’s. Customers will still need to opt into this environment. But applications like GeoVector will facilitate and manage consumer “commerce networks,” ironically an idea I blogged about after seeing Motorola’s Cliq and its focus on social networks.
The real killer app will be the one that seamlessly blends the social and commerce side of the mobile customer experience. It’s also important to note that this is ultimately about data. While the application layer is not entirely an incidental piece of the puzzle, a focus on data ensures a company like GeoVector can take its value proposition to any kind of device in the future.
