Augmented Reality App Development: Extensive Guide [SDKs, Tech & Business Parts]

25 min read

Augmented reality is the technology that has been gaining traction over the past few years. We’ve seen a number of applications making billions in the market. Pokémon Go is a great example.

Augmented Reality App Development: Extensive Guide [SDKs, Tech & Business Parts]

The market of AR solutions is projected to grow from $7.6 billion in 2020 to 29.5 billion by 20025. This makes 31.1% of CAGR growth.

You are probably wondering how to make an augmented reality app or add such functionality to your application. This article is an exhaustive guide on augmented reality app development, covering all the points of the whole process.

Here is a quick sneak peek of what’s waiting for you inside:

how Addevice can help you build an augmented reality app
what AR is and how it’s different from VR
key types of augmented reality apps
augmented reality tools
industries where AR can save the scene
step-by-step guide for augmented reality mobile app development
AR development cost

Let’s uncover how to make an augmented reality app that will be a success in the future.

Addevice’s Experience in Augmented Reality Mobile App Development

Before we move on, let us tell you how Addevice can help you build an augmented reality app. This article is written based on our experience in augmented reality development. Our experts have successfully developed and released a number of AR applications with one of them being Fitle.

Addevice’s Experience in Augmented Reality App Development

Fitle is a smart shopping application revolutionizing the way consumers buy clothes. In the reality of COVID-19, Fitle offers a unique opportunity for a real-life-like shopping experience for online buyers. The application allows customers to try on clothes without visiting shops. The application uses the combination of a photo depth calculator and an augmented reality solution to compress photos into AR objects. The object is analyzed to determine exact body measurements and generate a 3D model. We combine the technology with high-security standards to create a safe environment for customers to try clothes on.

Do you want to discuss your AR app idea?

Get in touch with our team to talk about your solution. Our experts will help you define the best way to build an augmented reality app taking into account both technical and business parts.

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What is Augmented Reality?

Before we uncover how to make an augmented reality app, let’s first get a better understanding of what augmented reality technology is. Augmented reality is a technology that allows overlaying real-world environments with digital augmentation. After the camera produces footage of real-life objects, the AR technology identifies how the AR project can be put in the real environment. Users can see the combined image on the screen.

AR technology is already widely available to end-users. All they need to experience AR is a smartphone with a camera. Examples of such solutions are numerous, including Pokémon Go, IKEA Place, Sephora, and many others. Virtual reality is another technology that is often confused with augmented reality. While their concept might be similar, they are very different in nature. When we talk about AR solutions, 2D or 3D objects are projected into real environments. Virtual reality creates a virtual environment into which users can immerse with the help of VR headsets or glasses.

We talk more about the work of different augmented reality applications based on their type in the next chapter.

Types of Augmented Reality Apps

Augmented reality app development can take a number of forms depending on the business goals you are pursuing with your application. Let’s take a look at the main types of AR solutions:

Marker-based augmented reality
Location-based augmented reality
Projection augmented reality
Superimposition based augmented reality

Below, we identify how they differ and which technologies are used to build each of them.

Marker-Based Augmented Reality App

This type of AR application is based on image recognition or image markers. Once the application detects an image or object that it can recognize, it overlays digital information on the marker. Such solutions can use 3D objects or non-3D objects, such as QR codes, as markers.

Location-Based Augmented Reality

Location-based AR solutions, also known as marker-less AR is the most widely used implementation of augmented reality. Instead of using markers, such apps use GPS, accelerators, compasses, and other location detectors to create AR objects based on the current location. Pokémon Go is a great example of this type of application.

Projection Augmented Reality

Applications of this type rely on visual odometry. They use complex algorithms and collect data from multiple sensors to identify the precise location of objects and to perform respective actions. Projection AR can be used as a part of the car parking system since it can show objects that are hidden from built-in cameras. Architects and engineers can also use this technology to better study the environment for placing constructions.

Superimposition Based Augmented Reality

Applications relying on superimposition are used in healthcare and medicine. The technology is self-explaining. A real image of the environment is processed, recognized, and overlaid with an AR object.

Best Tools to Build Augmented Reality App: SDKs & Tech

SDKs and Tech for Augmented Reality App Development

It’s impossible to decide how to make an augmented reality app without knowing which technologies can be used for such a task. Augmented Reality software development SDKs is a set of tools that are designed to help developers to build augmented reality apps faster and without the development of the components already created by other companies. Let’s overview augmented reality development tools that your application can rely on.

To choose the best SDKs that will align with your business targets, you need to pay attention to the following factors:

native support for AR
the operating platform it’s targeting
the programming language in which it’s written
official SDK support
license and monetization

Knowing such details about SDKs, you will be able to choose the best solution that will not require you to pay a huge sum for use and which will not limit the augmented reality app development process.

Vuforia

This is one of the most popular AR SDKs that offer extensive functionality. The list of features includes the following options:

2D, 3D objects and text recognition
Video playback when target environments are detected
Creation of customized VuMarks
Turn static images into full-motion videos
Cloud and local storage
Unity Plugin

Wikitude

This SDK can be used to create marker- and location-based augmented reality applications. The solution offers the following functionality:

Location-centric AR
Geolocation support
Image recognition
SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology
Local and cloud recognition
Extended tracking feature

Kudan

This SDK is created to develop market-based and market-less solutions, providing the following functionality:

Unity support
iOS and Android support
2D and 3D images recognition
SLAM support
Provided KudanCV engine for low memory usage
Market-based and marker-less location and tracking

EasyAR

This robust SDK offers a lot of functionality an extensive set of functionalities for augmented reality app development of different types:

SLAM support
3D tracking
Screen recording
Cloud recognition
Unlimited recognition queries

Apple ARKit

iOS augmented reality SDK by Apple aiming to help iOS developers add AR capabilities. The tool offers a number of useful features:

Device motion tracking
Camera scene capture
Advanced scene processing
Visual inertial odometry
Plane detection (floors, tables, etc.)
Lighting estimation
Unity and Unreal engines support

Google ARCore

Official Android augmented reality SDK provided by Google, which offers the following functionality:

Lighting condition estimation
Size detection
Location, angles, and motion tracking
Cloud anchors
Environmental HDR

The table below displays the most popular and promising AR SDKs that you can use to build augmented reality apps.

	Vuforia	Wikitude	EasyAR	Kudan	Apple ARKit	Google ARcore
Platforms	Android, iOS, UWP	Android, iOS	Android, iOS, UWP, macOS	Android, iOS, UWP	iOS	Android, iOS
License	Free, Commercial	Commercial	Free, Commercial	Free, Commercial	Free	Free
2D recognition	+	+	+	+	+	+
3D recognition	+	+	–	+	+	+
Smart glasses support	+	+	–	–	+	+
Unity support	+	+	+	+	+	+
Geolocation	+	+	–	–	+	+
SLAM	–	+	+	+	+	+
Cloud recognition	+	+	+	–	+	+

Aside from SDKs, you will also need to use some standard technology for iOS or Android development, which is listed in the table below.

	Android	iOS
Programming languages	Kotlin, Java	Swift, Objective-C
SDK	Android SDK	iOS SDK
Toolkit	Android Studio	Apple Xcode

Want to build an augmented reality app that will use the latest technology?

Our team of experts has augmented reality app development know all the ins and out of using each of the technologies. Get in touch with the Addevice team for professional consultation.

Possible Spheres of Application for AR Apps

Augmented reality technology is finding its way into various industries. On the image below you see the most promising use cases for AR technologies (according to data by Hackernoon).

Most Promising Industries to Build an AR or VR App

eCommerce

The technology is already actively used in eCommerce and retail. Examples are numerous and include such applications as Fitle developed by Addevice, IKEA app, and even Loreal. The use of AR in eCommerce is already showing the power of its technology since it improves the shopping experience. The technology will probably gain even more traction in eCommerce with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such apps can be used to help customers to try on clothes, make-up, see how furniture will look in their apartments, and much more.

You can learn more about application development for eCommerce in our exhaustive guide: How to Make Online Selling App: Tech & Business Details (2020)

Healthcare

The use of artificial intelligence in healthcare and medicine has numerous implementations. Today, augmented reality tools for education are already actively used for students’ training, as well as during surgeries and other procedures. Microsoft HoloLens is used to provide doctors with detailed human anatomy understanding to perform better surgeries, tumor identification, blood flow visualization, etc.

Tourism and travel

Another sphere of use is traveling and tourism. Instead of reading history, tourists could live through historical events by visiting certain locations.

Entertainment and games

Entertainment is the most promising industry for augmented reality app development. Such solutions can bring an entirely different experience by allowing users to interact with virtual objects in the real world. Pokémon Go is the brightest example of AR games, which over the years generated more than four billion in revenue. We are yet to see some other successful names that will outperform this game.

Education

If you are wondering how to make an augmented reality app that will make a difference, look into education. AR-powered solutions allow students to see virtual objects in the learning environment. One of the possible implementations is the use of special markers inside books that trigger the display of multimedia content.

Real estate and architecture

This is another industry that can benefit from the use of AR technology. With the help of such applications, specialists can see how their buildings will blend in with the environment and to showcase projects to clients and investors.

Military

The history of augmented reality application development for military purposes started in 1992 by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Today, special goggles can be used, for example, to provide the military with data to help them with ground navigation The number of industries that can benefit from the use of AR is numerous and we are going to see a lot of its technology implementations in the future.

How to Make an Augmented Reality App: Step-by-Step Guide

So, how do you create an augmented reality application?

Here is an 8-step process to make an augmented reality app:

Finding a niche and USP
Business plan creation
Finding an app development vendor
Deciding on the app’s functionality
UX/UI design creation
Development
Marketing and promotion
Feedback gathering and planning for growth

Let’s learn how to make an augmented reality app in more detail.

1. Finding a Niche and USP

The first step of augmented reality app development is the vision creation for your future product. This is impossible without knowing your competition, market state, and which niches still have a place for new names. Your action plan can have the following steps:

Market research – find out about the local market and which applications are popular there.
Competitors research – learn who will become your competition, learn their strong and weak sides.
TA research – make a comprehensive analysis of your target audience, its demographics, interests, income, and so on.
USP creation – based on the collected data, decide which niche you will target and how your application will be different from the competition.

2. Business Plan Creation

After you identify how to make an augmented reality app that will be unique and meet user expectations, you need to create a comprehensive business plan. One of the steps is finding the right monetization model. Today, there are a few models that you can consider:

Subscription – users buy a subscription for your application. You can provide them with different payment options, such as monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscription payment.
Advertising – placement of advertisements inside your app can bring significant income. Ads blocking options can be provided at an extra payment.
Freemium – allow users to enjoy some features of your app for free and ask them to pay if they want to enjoy full functionality.

In case you decide to build an augmented reality app and make it free, check the guide explaining how such apps can make money: How do Free Apps Make Money? [Best Strategies for 2020]

After you have decided on these matters, you can create a business model canvas to represent your value proposition, company infrastructure, customers, and finances.

3. Finding an App Development Vendor

The main secret behind successful apps is working with a reliable tech company that knows how to create an augmented reality app. Below you can find some steps explaining how to make the right choice, so make sure not to skip any of them:

Use such platforms as Clutch, The Manifest, and others to find a company providing augmented reality app development services.
Experience and professionalism should come first; price should come second.
Check clients reviews and shortlist companies
Analyze vendors, compare their expertise, location, etc.
Get in touch with shortlisted companies for an interview
Make a decision regarding your future technical partner

The image below demonstrates the process of finding such a company.

If you need some help with finding your partner, check the article prepared by our team explaining the process step by step: Outsource App Development in 2020: How to Make It Work

4. Choose App’s Functionality

This step is very important in augmented reality app development. Together with the vendor, choose the best functionality allowing you to build an augmented reality app according to your business needs. Aside from choosing SDKs and platforms, you might also need to implement some other features described in the table below.

Service	APIs
Push notifications	Twilio Nexmo Plivo Apple Push Notifications Firebase Cloud Messaging
Payments	PayPal Stripe Braintree Apple Pay Google Pay
Navigation	Google Maps Google Places Google Maps
Mailing services	Gmail ZeroBounce Firebase Cloud Messaging SendGrid
Social media	Google Facebook Twitter Instagram

5. UX/UI Design

Design creation is an inseparable part of the augmented reality apps development process. At this stage, together with designers, you will need to work on the user flows, branding, and unique style of your application. Just remember that a copycat solution won’t be able to have a high chance of success. Thus, you need to aim for unique features and their unique visual representation in augmented reality app design.

6. Augmented Reality App Development

This is the main part of the whole journey you are going to endure to create your application. During this stage, front-end and back-end parts of your solution are developed based on the produced design materials. Each implemented feature and technical solution need to be thoroughly tested to avoid problems with the app’s performance, scalability, and reliability.

7. Marketing & Promotion

While the development process is underway, you can start working on your marketing strategy. The main goal here is to spark interest with your target audience by implementing the following marketing approaches:

Paid ads – will help you get the first users of your application.
SMM – social media is a place where you can create meaningful and trustworthy relationships with users.
Influencer marketing – working with bloggers and influencers to connect with multi-million audiences.
Content marketing & SEO – promotion of your AR application in Google search results through blog posts and other forms of content.
Events – you can promote your app at live events, conferences, and meetings or become a special sponsor for some event.
Partnerships – cooperate with other companies for the promotion of your solution through their marketing channels.

8. Feedback Gathering & Growth Planning

Once your application is released to the market, start collecting customer feedback to learn what they think about your application and how it can be improved. After you have a full picture of possible improvements, discuss with your development team how they can be implemented with future updates.

Augmented Reality App Development Cost

You are probably wondering about the cost to build an augmented reality app.

If you decide to pursue the idea of augmented reality app development, you need to be ready to invest $60,000+ for the creation of an app for a single platform (iOS or Android). The final cost depends on a number of factors such as how many platforms you are targeting, to which country you outsource app development, which SDKs and functionality you are going to implement. The cost can reach $500,000 and even go far beyond this sum.

Augmented reality content creation can eat up a significant part of your budget, especially if you are going to create and real-like environments.

Need help with augmented reality app development and want to know its cost?

Get in touch with our team for free initial project estimation and quote. Our augmented reality app developers will help you choose the best technologies and build an app within your budget.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you create an augmented reality application?

The process of augmented reality app development can be organized into 8 steps:

Finding a niche & USP
Business plan creation
Finding an app development company
Choosing the app’s functionality
UX/UI design
Development
Marketing & promotion
Planning for growth

Please note that each of the above steps consists of different substeps. If you want to know how to make an augmented reality app, check our guide.

How much does it cost to build an augmented reality app?

Augmented reality app development cost starts at $60,000 for the first app version for a single operating platform (iOS or Android). With the addition of new functionality and new platform support, the cost will increase and can reach $500,000+. You might need to invest a significant sum into the creation of 3D scenes and objects, depending on their complexity.

How is augmented reality made?

Augmented reality is a technology that overlays real-world environments with digital augmentation. Users can see a combined image of a real scene with virtual objects on it.

What are the examples of successful AR implementation?

Pokémon Go is the most vivid example of AR implementation in the entertainment industry. Over four years of history, users spent over 4 billion dollars with this application. There are numerous other examples such as IKEA Place, Sephora, Amazon AR Player, and many others. AR technologies have already penetrated almost every industry and their use is predicted to grow in the near future.