Emerging technologies are probably the most talked about digital issue and will be for the centuries to come. As highlighted in the previous post, e-readers came in to existence in the early 2000s and this was the beginning of a huge technological leap for the publishing industry. Where people used to have to rely on their computers/laptops for new digital products, we now have access to them right at our finger tips in the form of tablets and smart phones. In particular this week, it is necessary to look at a current emerging product that exploded as the result of one app in early 2016... Augmented Reality (AR) is the future of digital technology and is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are amplified by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data. Pokémon Go is a free-to-play, location-based augmented reality game developed by Niantic for iOS, Android, and Apple Watch devices. When using the app, looking through the camera of a smartphone would show not only the user’s surroundings, but also a simulated creation, in this instance, a Pokémon, stood centrally on the image as if it were right in front of you, ready to interact through your handheld device. Launched in July 2016, "75 million copies were downloaded in the first three weeks and it was averaging 7 million downloads per day". So how does this relate to the publishing industry? Simply… It’s the future. Users already make use of e-readers, e-books and even interactive apps, but augmented reality goes one step further and bring digital interactions to life. The promotion and marketing of products from interactive games to 3D experiences are offered on a whole new level due to its rapid growth in popularity, due to its easy downloadable features and dynamic uses on any smart phone. The biggest advantage of Augmented Reality is the bridge that is crossed between the digital and real worlds for users who enjoy whilst on the go, instead of on a video game in the comfort of one’s own home. This technology is completely changing the world of publishing by allowing users to have a completely immersive experience through a combination of GPS and geolocation capabilities. A potential flaw in the development of the product however is the cost and time consuming nature of its creation, which publishers would need to consider during the early stages. Publishers may adopt this technology to give their users a completely interactive experience, whether that be through marketing strategies or allowing users to interact with a product before they buy, within the STM/education market (creating interactive diagrams and 3D models for students to interact and learn from) and children’s market; creating a whole new platform for the publishing industry to delve into. Besides, who knows, tomorrow publisher’s audiences could be walking through a busy city high street casting spells to rid people of the dementors overhead whilst engaging with the Cursed Child… "Hodder & Stoughton is publishing Off the Page, the teen novel by Jodi Picoult and her daughter Samantha Van Leer, with additional augmented reality (AR) content" (Eyre, 2015), "Crimson Publishing has launched a business book with an augmented reality jacket, collaborating with the Aurasma app" (Allen, 2013), "Penguin Children’s is experimenting with augmented reality for the first time by adding an AR function to the new Skylanders book" (Eyre, 2014), and "the Compass Guides include GPS enabled maps and location based information for hundreds of points of interest for every city, while the phone’s built in compass allows users to see their current location and how far or near they are to destinations and sites" (Missingham, 2010). These examples show how publishers have already begun to engage with Augmented Reality, though currently, in my opinion this engagement is minimal and has much more potential. In Publishing Perspectives, Harris (as cited by Rosen) thinks Augmented Reality is a "true amalgamation of digital and print. You use your device to discover more content. The content is digitally appealing and has stuff you can manipulate, but you need the actual book in order to do it” (Rosen, 2014). In my opinion, I believe that currently digital products are a one-off experience and that within the publishing industry this could change. My belief is corriborated by Harris who states "digital has been 'a frozen print experience,' in that the reader is often looking at the same thing in both print and digital versions. With AR, he says, 'you get movement, extra sound, a lot of extra qualities with the content'" (Rosen, 2014). Overall, I think the future of publishing will be defined by a relationship with game developers specialising in Augmented Reality. Educational publishing could benefit from a subsidiary product which allows consumers to essentially "climb into" what they're learning, while trade fiction would allow for the same development. The release of a new Harry Potter book would allow for a later product (in an Augmented Reality format) to be released onto the market which allowed consumers to again "climb into" the world which they've just read about. The possibilities between such a relationship are endless and really highlight how emerging technologies can and almost certainly WILL alter the publishing industry for the better. References: Images without worded references are all linked to their original source and can be viewed by clicking on the image. Further Reading: Allen, K. (2013). Crimson to release augmented reality book. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/crimson-release-augmented-reality-book (Accessed: 01 October 2016) Eyre, C. 2015. H&S to publish augmented reality Picoult novel. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/zapper-publish-augmented-reality-picoult-novel (Accessed: 01 October 2016) Eyre, C. 2014. Puffin moves into augmented reality. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/news/puffin-moves-augmented-reality (Accessed 01 October 2016). Gadney, G. (2016). Pokémon Go and the evolution of publishing treasure hunts. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/futurebook/pok-mon-go-and-evolution-publishing-treasure-hunts-373616 (Accessed: 01 October 2016). Missingham, S. (2010). Case Study: Lonely Planet's augmented reality guides. Available at: http://www.thebookseller.com/futurebook/case-study-lonely-planets-augmented-reality-guides (Accessed: 01 October 2016). Nintendo. (2016) Pokemon Go. Available at: www.pokemon.com/uk/pokemon-video-games/pokemon-go (Accessed: 27 September 2016). Prynne, M. (2014). Top ten emerging technologies which will change your life. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/10662135/Top-ten-emerging-technologies-which-will-change-your-life.html (Accessed: 29 September 2016). Rosen, L. (2014) Augmented Reality and the Future of Publishing. Available at: http://publishingperspectives.com/2014/08/augmented-reality-and-the-future-of-publishing/#.WE7ykIXXLIU (Accessed: 29 September 2016). Total Immersion. (2015) The Future of Augmented Reality. Available at: http://www.t-immersion.com/augmented-reality/future-vision (Accessed: 30 September 2016).
1 Comment
Tom Scholes
8/11/2016 16:50:37
Good stuff. It's a broad topic and you have given a good overview with some relevant examples. I can give you good marks for Criteria 1,3,4,5. I'm struggling for 2 a little. You need to find 3rd party opinion on this stuff that you can then critically assess. Add some of that in to each of your articles and you will have everything covered.
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