Is Augmented Reality (AR) Blockchain’s Killer App?

How much better would Pokemon Go be if it were powered with blockchain? Photo Cred: David Grandmougin

The number of projects present in the crypto world — most of which are powered by blockchain technology — is increasing rapidly each year.

At the time of the writing of this post, there are 2447 cryptocurrencies listed on CoinMarketCap, many of these being projects that have — at one point — been discussed as being the “killer app” for blockchain.

Seriously, the obsession is real.

For some perspective, consider that last year, on October 15th, there were only 1600 projects listed on CMC.

From Bitcoin to Brave, from cross-border payments to online gambling, the beautiful truth is that blockchain technology can potentially be leveraged in an endless number of ways.

However, while the number of crypto projects has significantly increased, one of the biggest questions in the crypto world (arguably) remains unanswered, depending on who you talk to:

Where’s the Killer Blockchain App?

Or, in other words:

Which blockchain app is going to usher in the mass adoption of crypto?

In this post, we’re going to throw AR’s name into the hat.

Could Augmented Reality (AR) be blockchain’s Killer App?

The short answer is: possibly!

There is a huge amount of potential to leverage blockchain to unleash the power of Augmented Reality (AR).

And this goes way beyond gaming.

Despite how much potential we see for AR and gaming.

BofA Merrill Lynch refers to the rise of AR, VR and mixed reality as “the fourth computing revolution”…

But, we must distinguish AR from VR here.

While Virtual Reality enables one to experience a different world altogether, it is widely believed that Augmented Reality has more immediate applicability…

…and this is due to the fact that AR adds digital overlays onto the real world!

But, why is this so important to distinguish?

Here we’re going to answer a question with another question 🙂

Remember Google Glass?

The AR glasses developed by Google essentially flopped — when it came to consumer usage — after numerous concerns were raised about the ability for people to potentially record without anyone knowing.

But, was that the end of Google Glass?

Technically, no.

Did you know that the tech giant turned the failure of Google Glass for consumers into a pretty useful Google Enterprise?

The Google Glass pivot alone is pretty decent proof of the potential for AR beyond gaming, with employees reporting more enjoyable work experiences and companies relaying evidence of more efficient operations after the implementation of Google Enterprise.

Beyond this, Augmented Reality has many, many more use cases.

From transforming shopping experiences in retail — a solution already being implemented by stores which we discuss here — to enhancing doctors’ capabilities in the operating room…

…from enhancing fan experiences at sporting events…

((( for any NFL fans, congratulations, that yellow first down marker you’ve been seeing on you’re TV means you’ve already experienced AR essentially )))

…to enabling advertisers to engage with (potential) customers in novel ways, AR truly has a host of applications…