“Virtual Reality is going to be an important technology. I am pretty confident about this.” – Mark Zuckerberg
AR and VR have been growing steadily, but the next wave is going to be huge. By 2031, the global AR and VR market is projected to go from $30 billion in 2022 to over $520 billion, according to Sky quest.
The growth is driven by an ever-increasing number of use cases – from immersive learning environments and social VR platforms to text detection, translation, and deeper integration with AI.
The future of AR and VR is going to be massive. In this blog, we’ll look at the top AR trends for 2025 and beyond, as well as the predictions shaping how Augmented Reality Development evolves and continues to merge the digital and physical worlds.
AR and VR Trends – 2025 and Beyond.
2024 is not over yet, and it’s been a wild year. Apple’s MR headset and OpenAI’s GPT-4 are out, and the world is moving fast towards a more techy future. It’s all exciting as each new innovation brings us closer to a world where AR and VR change everything. It’s hard to keep up.
Trend #1: AI Powers AR
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been the behind-the-scenes magic that has driven many of the AR innovations. Take Ikea’s AR app, for example—thanks to AI; it can recognize objects and surfaces so you can place virtual furniture in your real rooms. Another great example is human scanning, like Apple’s Vision Pro, which creates a digital “Persona” for FaceTime to recreate your face in the virtual world.
One of the most practical features is Google Translate’s AR feature—just point your phone at the foreign text, and it overlays real-time translation as AI continues to evolve tools like Spline. This can generate 3D objects via voice command, hinting at a more generative future for AR where you can create virtual worlds by just speaking them into existence.
Trend #2: Mobile AR Expands Beyond Gaming to Business Solutions
Mobile devices remain the top platform for AR, not just for gaming but increasingly for business. Companies are leveraging mobile AR for remote assistance, employee training, product visualization, and more. Statista predicts that by 2024, there will be 1.7 billion mobile AR users worldwide, highlighting its rapid growth.
On the tech side, Google’s ARCore and Apple’s ARKit continue to innovate. ARCore’s latest updates enhance experiences in low-light environments and improve real-world object tracking, while ARKit 6 adds features like 4K video capture and seamless AR object placement.
Both platforms are pushing the boundaries of what mobile AR can do, but the real game-changer will be the growing availability of 5G. With faster connectivity, developers can now create rich, data-intensive AR experiences accessible anywhere, from outdoor navigation to enhanced tourism applications.
Trend #3: WebAR makes it Easier for Developers to Create Inclusive Experiences
WebAR can pave the way for app developers as it is compatible with all kinds of platforms. Though not as capable as native AR applications, it is more advantageous because of easy accessibility.
The best WebAR experiences can be executed on smartphones, tablets, and traditional PCs and laptops equipped with a webcam. People, also, do not have to download an application — they just have to access a website using a link or a QR code.
In a recent update, 8th Wall revealed new capabilities to Niantic Studio, currently one of the most popular WebAR creation tools. In August, they added Gaussian splatting support so developers could make more realistic, 3D environments to create compatible AR experiences on all devices.
WebAR can help level the playing field if developers are willing to sacrifice ambitions for innovative AR features. Although it may lack the same functionality as native AR applications, it makes up for this with its accessibility.
Trend #4: Cross-platform AR Applications Continue to Evolve
Research done on cross-platform applications states that applications utilising AR across platforms are still developing. Although Android accounted for over 70% of the smartphone market share in early 2024, cross-platform AR app development is still strategic.
Segmentation by the operating systems is useful because it reaches a wider audience, especially if the iOS users are more valuable—especially in the US market. While cross-platform AR apps lack several abilities, they yet are perfect for developing basic features.
AR Trend #5: Mobile Augmented Reality Experiences Start with Wearables
The Apple Vision Pro may not be used by billions of people, at least not for a few years from now, but it is a new era in wearable AR. As of mid-2024, it has under 100,000 units in sales, but AR-dependent relations to iPhone with SwiftUI and ARKit make it possible for developers to port their apps to the headset.
Other Meta products, like a more affordable AR headset, the Meta Quest 3 and the Meta Quest Pro, also go on to become popular for mixed reality, such as learning piano with PianoVision or a dungeon crawling game like Demeo. Wearable AR remains a niche market, but that’s exactly why developers have great potential for making the experience for users even more multi-faceted.
Trend #6: AR in Marketing Drives Brand Engagement
Marketing is no longer a lonely domain as augmented reality takes over to bring a whole new experience to brands. According to Meta, brand recall from the use of AR in campaigns was 10% higher than that of all brands using traditional campaigns, while AR ads are 59% cheaper.
Everything from trade cards, games and animations to product use cases such as virtual fitting and furniture placement fall under the umbrella of AR marketing. Marketers have incredible means of connecting with customers and building experiences at their disposal today that straightforward commercials can’t.
AR Trends Can be Maximised Smartly
Augmented reality is indeed a mind-blowing trend, but not all trends are applicable to all types of businesses. This means that while some technology solutions create waves, they may not fit your objective best. These trends must be assessed, and determine which innovations support your goals and customers.
In addition, one needs to evaluate the possibility of becoming a part of existing approaches and if they fit your requirements. The idea is—how do you know if these advancements are right for your brand? The end result of taking time to analyse and experiment will lead you to the AR solution that transforms your business.
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