Augmented reality (AR) is a technology that combines real-world surroundings with virtual features to create an immersive experience. Augmented reality apps offer a slew of possibilities, notably in the realm of e-commerce. AR adds an additional layer of engagement and involvement to the online purchasing journey in a retail context, allowing companies to satisfy rising consumer expectations for more captivating e-commerce experiences.
Consumers appreciate the addition of augmented reality to the online experience, and they want more of it. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, e-commerce merchants have been compelled to migrate to digital channels to meet consumer demands, and many are doing so for the first time. Because they can’t readily serve their customers via physical channels, they have had to come up with new strategies to market the online purchasing experience.
COVID-19 was not the main driving force for AR though. AR’s recent growth has been boosted by the widespread use of AR-capable smartphones and tablet devices for conducting digital shopping excursions. As more people use their phones to explore product information, augmented reality has become a natural extension that people have embraced. So, as an e-commerce provider, let’s find out what it entails to use AR with your product offering.
Although the terms augmented reality and virtual reality are often used synonymously, they are actually quite different. Augmented reality enhances an existing world that you will continue to perceive to some extent. Virtual reality e-commerce, on the other hand, would immerse you in a world that is entirely fabricated.
AR apps work with smart devices like tablets and mobile phones, as well as with headsets and other visual displays. Sensors and digital projectors are included in these integrated devices, which necessitate the use of software that allows computer-generated objects to be projected into the actual world.
To run augmented reality apps, you would generally need a mobile phone or tablet that supports AR software. Other options are to have a head mounted display or a projector to provide an overlay to display different 3D graphics.
You may have devices for other senses, such as a glove or an earpiece, that could provide more information to both the sense of touch and the sense of hearing, in addition to the visible world. Whatever the case may be, something must exist between your senses and the environment to interpret an invisible stimulation into something detectable.
That is, testing compatibility with different devices is crucial before releasing AR e-commerce features in production. The same goes for UI testing: it is necessary to run these checks on different devices and pay attention to both portrait and landscape view.
You do need a live internet connection that is both reliable and fairly quick to get the best experience from an AR app. Whether it’s through ethernet, wireless, LTE, HSDPA, or Wi-Max, the user needs access to one of these technologies. The disadvantage is that for a consistent AR experience, the user relies largely on coverage and connection speed, as well as the servers on the other end supporting good performance.
Thankfully, we no longer live in a world tied to dial-up and internet connectivity will continue to improve across urban and rural areas. For now, though, the requirements of internet quality can be a weak point for AR. Therefore, make sure to check how AR features work under low connection or what happens in case a device disconnects from the network. Optimize the app experience for such cases so it doesn’t cause too much irritation.
AR requires decent graphics processing hardware for the initial recognition and for generating the simulations. And it has to be done in real-time. This can result in a smart device using up a lot of memory and power. AR is a massive consumer of both. On average an AR app can drain a minimum of 30% battery power in a mere half an hour.
As a rule, users aren’t fond of such resource-consuming apps and tend to delete them before long. Running performance tests will allow you to learn about the resource consumption patterns and get a better understanding of what to optimize.
Finally, on a more conceptual level, when designing and creating the AR app, it is important to ensure that information presented to a user is relevant and helpful. We can only take in so much information at a time, and it’s pointless to overwhelm someone with more than what their brain can handle. This is augmented reality, which means that both the augmentations and the reality are equally significant.
In other words, you may need to think twice before enhancing an app with AR features. Don’t do it for the sake of the trend only. Don’t hesitate to consult a Business Analyst in case you are not sure about the value AR can bring to your app.
A growing number of businesses are recognizing the value of augmented reality. If your company is considering launching an AR app, there are two key actions that will determine customer happiness with the finished product. The first is a user experience that is both natural and immersive, and the other is quality assurance. Let’s take a closer look at the second part – mainly, what makes it special in this particular case.
It will be more difficult to test an AR app than a standard app. You’ll need to create the right environment, test it with various objects, lighting settings, and a range of different variables. As a result, because there are so many factors to consider, the testing process will take significantly longer.
AR for e-commerce to be tested with a multitude of devices and configurations. This includes screen orientations, memory and energy consumption, front and rear cameras, and other device components. Emulators aren’t a good option because they can’t substitute real-world devices. So make sure to test your app on proper hardware such as smartphones and tablets.
The vast range of conditions in which the consumer may use the app further complicates the testing process. They might use it in a dimly lit environment or from a moving perspective, which makes augmented reality app testing and programming extremely challenging.
Physical objects and surfaces to be detected in an assortment of areas, angles, distances, motion and lighting circumstances, and ambient noise levels. This list can be endless, so it is crucial to define the environments in which the AR app will work optimally.
Immersion in an augmented reality software may appear to be a good idea in theory. But if not designed properly, it can have a negative impact such as causing eye strain, headaches,and motion sickness for the user. While we want an AR app that allows for swift and natural navigation, developers and software testers must be cognizant of the AR app being used by people of varying ages and physical conditions. This must be at the forefront of design and testing.
Also, immersive testing is one of those things that make QA for AR more time-consuming. Due to the side effects of a developed product (the abovementioned motion sickness, headache, etc.), a person may need breaks, being able to work with an AR application for a quite limited time before it is optimized and becomes convenient to use.
You can utilize various tools depending which platform the AR app is using to record AR sessions for debugging and troubleshooting. The recorded sessions can be projected onto a display so the developers can see what is being tested in real-time. This makes it a more Agile pair testing approach.
Augmented reality is no longer a far-fetched concept. It is currently a viable element of the consumer market with millions of mobile users. AR adds a more tactile dimension to e-commerce, making it more interesting for customers and motivating them to progress down the purchasing path. Consumers may see everything about a product without ever physically having to touch and open it. Augmented reality technology is one of the most effective marketing tools available today.
It may be tempting to rush into getting an AR app, but it is prudent to get the design and testing well-thought out and thoroughly planned. There are a lot of nuances with AR testing and even minor bugs in the last stages of development can be difficult and time-consuming to fix. And while companies should always include a time slot for mobile app testing during the development process planning, it becomes even more crucial when you work with something as complicated as AR.
Remember that consumers expect a great experience with technology, and when they don’t get it, they simply uninstall it and leave a negative review. In the end, it always affects a brand’s reputation and can kill the entire product.
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