One of the main uses for augmented reality (AR) on mobile that companies are exploiting is the ability to put real-life objects into customers homes digitally, allowing them to actually see what a piece of furniture make look like at home or how a certain design may work. Technology company Shutterstock, best known for its library of 250 million images, has announced the launch of a similar AR feature for its iOS app.
The AR option is called ‘View in Room’ which allows a Shutterstock customer to view any of the company’s images on a wall of their choosing. Built using ARKit, users select an image, press the ‘View in Room’ button and then scan a locations floor and walls with the app bringing up a green square. They can then tap the square to display an image, resizing it as required, before being able to buy and download it. As Shutterstock customers are increasingly using the image collection to create in-home, in-store or in-office artwork, they no longer need to try and visualise what would look good where being able to actually see the image in place.
“We have been committed to experimenting with cutting-edge technologies for over fifteen years. After years of advancing our in-house computer vision technology to enhance search capabilities on web and mobile, we are very excited to announce our first AR-powered mobile viewing experience for customers,” said Jon Oringer, Founder and CEO of Shutterstock in a statement. “This is yet another great project to have been developed from its initial iteration at our annual employee Hackathon, Hack to the Future. We decided to put this hack into production because of its potential to have an immediate customer impact.”
The Shutterstock app is free to download on iOS devices, with images available to purchase individually through the app. The company also offers a subscription service should businesses or other users require a more regular supply of images, with annual plans charge on a monthly basis starting at £19 GBP per month.
VRFocus will continue to cover the latest AR announcements – like the recent Coachella AR installation – as further advancements in the field are made.