Facebook messenger is commonly used all over the world to help keep family and friends in touch with each other. At the F8 conference, Facebook announced that it would be enhancing the Messenger experience by bringing Augmented Reality (AR) camera effects into the Messenger platform.
Developers will be able to add AR camera effects to their messenger bot. The idea is to enable to creation of interactive AR experiences that can be useful to customers.
Several businesses have already been experimenting with AR technology as a means to help customers get a better feel of a product, compared to what is possible with only a flat, static photo. The integration of this technology into Facebook Messenger means this service is easier to offer to consumers.
In addition, if you want a second opinion from a friend on a particular product, or you have seen something you know a family member will love, the AR effects can be shared via Messenger, so users can create a more social experience when choosing a product.
The Messenger AR effects are currently in closed Beta, featuring commercial partners ASU, Kia, Nike and Sephora. Some of the early examples of what the AR camera effects can do include a Nike shoe appearing on a plinth surrounded by velvet rope, where the user can view it from all angles and decide if it is the right shoe for them.
Another example involved a new shade of lipstick from Sephora, which users can use AR Face filters to try it on for themselves ad decide what makeup look best suits them. Similarly, ASUS will be offering an ‘unboxing’ experience with the ability to take a close look as certain phone functions and features.
There are over 300,000 active bots on the Messenger platform, with over 8 Billion messages exchanged between people and businesses every month. VRFocus will continue to bring you the latest on how business is being changed by immersive technology such as AR.
via Mint VR