The Future of Publishing

Challenges for Publishers

Is AR already disrupting markets? Not yet. While almost everyone predicts a bright technological future, AR lacks hyped, headline-making apps that will completely redefine reading activities.

AR has worked for both mass and niche markets, but the vast majority of AR-based novelties were aimed at niche audiences who love innovative technologies.

On one hand, Pokémon Go became a mass game. However, it is probably the only celebrated, self-explanatory case in which AR was the killer feature that truly blew the market out of the water. Three years have gone by since that time and there is still nothing that compares to Pokémon Go’s ability to capture users’ imaginations and catch on like wildfire all around the world.

There are three ingredients to Pokémon Go’s success a large, engaged audience who dreamed to become Pokémon trainers in real life (and the audience grew up surrounded by gadgets!), a simple social game concept, and of course, the technology that made the old dream come true.

But these ingredients do not apply to all AR apps.

AR has been adopted for smaller user groups by different industries such as retail, gaming, learning, advertising, and more. Recognized brands such as Lego, IKEA, Nike, and Timberland were successful when they offered AR experiences to help people evaluate their products. They also increased their brand awareness through AR-based activities, although they did not substitute traditional campaigns.

In case of publishing, AR is more than just about fun: it also opens up a channel for an interaction with printed texts. AR is an exceptional visualization technology aimed at succinct presentation of complex concepts. As already mentioned, AR illustrations provide users with a clear overview of an item from all angles. Also, users get extra content that does not fit in with a printed format, such as videos, sounds, hyperlinks, and so on, which users  would otherwise need to spend time searching for on the Internet.

However, AR does require additional effort: pull out a smartphone, activate it, tap on the icon, scan the image, try not to get distracted by messenger or any social network feed, wait until the fun starts (and if it doesn’t, frustration ensues). Average users want a generous reward in return for opening an app and they need even more reward if they have to do so several times a day.

A Few Takeaways

Consider the following before starting AR app development:

Hardware. Both periodicals’ and book publishers’ target audiences are smartphone and tablet owners; no other AR gear is available. The only AR glasses present in the market are Microsoft Hololens, which are restricted for enterprise use only. Also, the time of VR content has not yet arrived. VR gear has low adoption rates due to its price and technological novelty, so it is probably too early to start considering VR content development. The only exception is 360-degree videos that can be viewed from any type of device, including smartphones and desktops.

Choice of technological stack. Different AR platforms suit different needs and the selection of an SDK is based on the type of AR app (marker-based, markerless, projection- or superimposition-based) and on the desired feature list. The development team decides on the technological stack after analysis of project requirements to provide maximum software performance and avoid draining smartphone batteries within minutes. One thing is for sure: both Google and Apple provide their AR frameworks—ARKit and ARCore—to help developers integrate apps.

Costs of app development. Associated costs vary greatly based on scope of work, target platform and fragmentation, location of the team (in-house, onshore, nearshore, offshore), its experience, and domain expertise. But as soon as costs of app development directly affect a book’s end-price, there is no ready receipt for development and monetization strategy. Buyer beware: the cheapest hourly rate does not mean the lowest total price. Cheap could mean just what it says.

Short app lifespan unless maintained. AR technology evolves at a similar pace as smartphone OSs and hardware do. Apps require support and updates when an OS or AR engine is updated. Otherwise, an app may stop functioning, resulting in angry users and bad reviews. A short life cycle does not affect demo and promotional apps, but it is recommended to maintain “regular” apps with longer life cycles. Also, when you plan a series of AR books or an extra AR section for your periodical, you might need a dedicated department engaged in production and management of AR content as well as a special management system.

Reviews and feedback. Amazon reviews show that audiences cheer AR books. Five-star reviews prevail from a tech-savvy and curious audience that knew what to expect from AR books. But when such people buy a book with an AR label, they expect it to work as promised, and will not tolerate flaws or discontinued support. Many one-star reviews claimed an app was either incompatible with their device, not working at all, or abandoned by its publisher. Such were the problems of Lego, Crayola Color Alive, and many others. Certainly, maintenance cannot last in perpetuity: no one wants to support an older app when a new book in the series is out. A possible solution could be including an expiration date after which support stops and keeping the last app version available in the download section for those who might want it.

Regarding technical flaws, Pokémon Go received many one-star reviews due to technical failures. The game became popular within days of launch, leaving both its creators and servers overwhelmed and incapable of reacting in a timely fashion. Servers froze and requests and other technical issues went unanswered and unsolved. Many users quit the game. But millions more were patient—and were rewarded with a magnificent AR game.

Augmented Reality is neither a silver bullet nor a disrupting technology. But it is an extra tool that simplifies users’ lives, thus pushing them her toward purchase decisions. AR can be an additional reason to pick up THIS book instead of the other books on the shelf. And it can be both the source for positive book reviews and extra revenue via in-app purchases.