30 Dec 2020
|
AWE Team
20 Really Good Things that Happened in XR in 2020
AR/VR Weekly
Virtual Reality
Augmented Reality
2020 was undeniably hard. But alongside the sad and scary times came countless demonstrations of caring, creativity, and resilience by the XR community; it stood up for the human connection, bringing people together safely and virtually. Here are 20 really good things that happened in XR in 2020 - as inspiration for next year:
- XR saved lives during the pandemic. (CNN) (ARPost)
- Culture went virtual, with many museums, opera houses, fairs, and other cultural institutions using the tech to connect with patrons in lockdown. (TheGuardian)
- XR offered workplaces a way to collaborate in a more immersive environment than a video call. (TechDemand, ARInsider)
- Virtual conferences allowed people to gather and exchange ideas while staying safely in quarantine. (Forbes)
- XR helped reduce social isolation for seniors during pandemic. (McKnights)
- AR and VR became a force for social change. (CameraIQ, Cablecast)
- This teacher used the VR game 'Half Life: Alyx' to teach math during school closures. (ign)
- Mobile AR reached 600+ Million users and 19% of U.S. Adults have tried VR. (ARInsider, ARInsider)
- XR creators exploded: Snapchat reported over 1 Million lenses created and trillion user views! (ARInsider)
- The first consumer friendly and affordable AR glasses (Nreal), launched in Korea and Japan and are headed to the US. (Engadget)
- AR contact lenses got real. (VentureBeat)
- The first mass market smartphone with depth camera (and better AR) launched with the iPhone 12 Pro. (UploadVR)
- The AR Cloud has matured with acquisitions and investments. (PRNewswire, 6d, Scape)
- Live music events got their time to shine...virtually. (HelloBeauMonde)
- XR became safer with XRSI privacy and security guidelines (VentureBeat) (XRSI) and more open with OpenXR certification of hardware and software products (RoadtoVR).
- Kickstarter featured highly successful XR campaigns including the record setting Looking Glass Portrait - a personal holographic display (Kickstarter).
- The "hero device" that boosts VR adoption to the mainstream has arrived (Quest 2) along with other fantastic VR headsets. (ARInsider)
- With COVID-19 shutting down in-person shopping across the globe, AR shopping has stepped up (HarvardBusinesReview), with data indicating that AR boosts conversion for online retailers (ARInsider).
- The AWE Academy launched with a mission to educate XR professionals and expand the ecosystem. Check out the first class: Web AR Workshop for brand managers, agencies, and creators! (AWE Academy/Web AR)
- You were awesome! The XR community was truly remarkable in 2020 and helped accelerate market adoption. Keep it up for 2021!
- ARInsider predictions for XR in 2021 include 3D becoming ubiquitous, a spread of adoption into new industries, and an evolution of ads. (ARInsider) (ARInsider)
- ARPost put together their list of best upcoming VR games in 2021. (ARPost)
- Tech Times predicts XR will become a major player in 2021. (TechTimes)
- AWE USA is poised to make a huge comeback as an in-person event this November in California - take part as speaker, exhibitor or attendee.
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Thank you for your continued support of AWE!
We wish you a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year.
Sincerely,
Ori and the AWEsome Team
Upcoming Events
VRAR Chicago: The Next Evolution in Arts & Culture: Jan. 6, 7 PM EST (Online)
The Past, Present, and Future of VR: Jan. 10, 8:30 PM EST (Online)
AREA Webinar: Sensing Human Gestures: Jan. 20, 11 AM EST (Online)
7th Wearable Expo: Jan. 20-22 (Tokyo)
AWE Academy - Web AR Workshop: Jan. 23-24 (Online)
AWE Nite DC: XR Goes to the Capitol!: Jan. 26, 5:30 PM EST (Online)
ICVR 2021: Jan 28-29 (New York)
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