Apple Vision Pro leads us into the future of the interactive web with the latest support for WebXR in Safari, thanks to visionOS 1.1. This breakthrough update transforms the way users and developers interact with augmented reality by offering intuitive eye and hand gesture control. This approach opens the door to a more natural and convenient way to interact in web applications, bypassing the need for complex tracking devices (Vision Pro does not include trackable controllers).
Apple is working with the W3C standards agency to incorporate this mode into the WebXR standards, which promises its imminent adoption by other hand- and eye-tracking devices. The MyWebAR platform, developed by Devar, is getting ready to launch hand physics tracking and AR project management soon. This means MyWebAR users will soon have the ability to develop AR experiences for Apple Vision Pro devices, among others.
What Does This Mean for the Market?
This direction of technology will be expanded and supported, which opens up a large number of variations for use cases. Web AR will grow over time due to fewer challenges in launching AR experiences. Additionally, it allows for the running of marketing campaigns through web-enabled channels.
Web AR immediately enables the launch of cross-platform solutions. This facilitates lower development costs and the deployment of AR experiences across various devices.
Which industries are capitalizing on the new technological capabilities first?
From the experience of creating AR projects on the platform, Devar can identify the following industries that are primarily utilizing this opportunity:
- Retail. In a recent study, “Mobile AR Global Revenue Forecast: 2023-2028” from AR Insider, the product categories that are leading the way with web AR include cosmetics, apparel, jewelry, furniture, and appliances.
- Marketing (promo and advertising). According to a recent survey by The Sortlist Data Hub, 68% of UK companies plan to create marketing opportunities with Vision Pro.
- Education. The “ARtillery Intelligence: AR in Education 2023” study found that 38% of schools in the US are already using AR, and 25% of universities in the US are using augmented reality technology. More than 200 educational institutions from all over the world are registered on our MyWebAR platform, including Duke University (USA), Yale University (USA), University of the Arts (USA), The University of Sydney (Australia), Virginia Tech (USA), California College of the Arts (USA), and Facultad de Artes Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina), among many others.
We’re confident that not only Apple Vision Pro, but all future headsets with hand and eye tracking will add support for WebXR. Meta could potentially even support it in the existing Quest Pro.
