In addition, the popularity of augmented reality can be explained by the following factors:
• more opportunities for use;
• ease of development, lower technical requirements;
• a wide range of devices, in particular mobile, and their lower cost.
As for players in the global market, depending on their functions, the following categories can be distinguished:
➡ Applications and content (games, entertainment, social networks and media, sports and broadcasting, tourism, journalism, education, production, health care, advertising and analytics): Google, Microsoft, Sony, Apple, Valve, Facebook, Disney;
➡ Tools and platforms (distributors, 3D-tools, reality capture): Unity, Unreal Engine, Dolby Atmos, Valve, Facebook;
➡ Infrastructure (helmets, glasses, accessories): Oculus, Apple, Daqri, Google, Microsoft, Valve, HTC.
Based on the analysis of the relevant categories, The Venture Reality Fund has made a map of the global market of virtual and augmented reality.
North America AR Market valued at $525 mn in 2017 and is projected expand at over CAGR of 67.5% from 2018 to 2024. New applications of AR devices in the retail sector are growing rapidly. Applications of this technology attract customers and provide them with information about the company's products and services. Several retailers have installed these devices in their stores, providing visual merchandising of their products. According to the Graphical Research North America AR market size will exceed USD 19 billion by 2024.