Extended Reality and the Future of Digital Advertising

It is her sister's birthday tomorrow, and Taylor doesn't know what to buy her. Surely her older sister, the successful DNA designer, has everything she could want. Taylor pauses from her work to open her favorite fashion magazine. With her augmented reality glasses on, she watches as the magazine becomes 3D. The ads move inside their frames to run through their spiels before resetting. She listens to the interviews as she reads along. A new perfume catches her attention, so she taps on it. An enhanced hologram pops up to show the exact shade and size, which she admires. She reaches out and touches the bottle. She loves living with touch sensory technology. How is she supposed to do any shopping without it?

Checking the time on her wristphone, Taylor sees it's almost time to meet her friend downtown for coffee. She packs her glasses and heads out. On her way, she punches two buttons into her wristphone to catch an AirLyft. Then she steps outside and shivers. Winter has come earlier than she expected. Fortunately, she is wearing her new thermo-tec jacket that automatically warms her up to her preferred temperature. The air taxi arrives. It's a brand-new model that she likes; she enjoys the low beam light reflectors and wonders if this car really could cross the English Channel. Her wristphone beeps, confirming her identity before the door opens. Her jacket cools down once the door shuts. Relaxing in her seat, Taylor catches a glimpse of herself and her friends on the building's window beside them through projections and drones which distract her on the boring drive. The technology integrations also include memes and ads along the way.

Taylor arrives and once she slips on her augmented glasses, she climbs out of the car. It isn't a street she has explored before. There's a fountain nearby with projections for directions and advertisements. With her glasses on, she views the customer ratings in the stores nearby, deciding the geolocation shop could be fun. It allows for a short adventure where she could travel anywhere through VR, even experimenting with the new Mars colony. Taylor focuses on her glasses as her augmented reality (AR) navigation reminds her that the coffee shop is the next store. A message appears saying her friend has arrived. She walks inside but can't find her. Taylor clicks on her wristphone to ask about sharing locations.

Once her friend accepts, Taylor's glasses offer navigational aid with a 3D personal avatar that leads her up the stairs. The two women reunite eagerly, hugging and catching up as they order from their seats. Taylor adores her friend's skirt and knows her sister would love it. She taps her wristphone and directs her glasses at the skirt. A “Learn More” button appears, and Taylor clicks on it. Using a picture of her sister, Taylor sees how it might look if she did buy it. She reads about the brand and sees the “Buy Me” button blinking but decides to save it to her basket for later.

Glancing around the shop with her glasses on, Taylor notices the cakes. She decides to enjoy a slice with her drink. Taylor and her friend indulge in their treats and then enhance their AirLyft ride to her place by adding mixed reality entertainment for the duration. Choosing karaoke, Taylor picks a singer from the early 2000s after whom she was named, placing the hologram between them. They both sang the whole way to her home. While sometimes technology can feel intrusive, Taylor loves the easy opportunities that smart tech provides. If this is the type of entertainment that could be enjoyed now, what might exist in 2080 or even 3000?

“Augmented reality is the 'boy who cried wolf' of the post-Internet world—it’s long been promised but has rarely been delivered in a satisfying way.” ---- By Om Malik, Senior Tech Writer