Let’s take a look at BAT’s layout in the AR field. How would you rate it?

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The so-called AR (augmented reality) is to superimpose real information and the virtual world and make the two interactive. In other words, AR technology not only allows virtual objects to be integrated into the real world, but also allows users to respond to the real world. This is a symbiotic technology, the symbiosis between machines and users.

When Pokemon Go became popular in Australia and the United States, AR technology could no longer hide its brilliance. Almost all the Internet companies we know have flocked to it, including Google, Facebook, Apple, Tencent, Alibaba, Baidu, etc. These companies not only want to grab the next ticket to technological innovation, but also fear that they will become Nokia or Yahoo in the "next era". After all, the tracks left by the fallen elephant are still as fresh as new.

According to data released by market research company Digi-Capital, in the first quarter of this year, the world invested a total of $1.7 billion in the AR/VR field, of which nearly $1 billion came from China. By 2020, the AR market size will reach $120 billion, far higher than VR's $30 billion.

At the same time, the optimistic attitude of Facebook CEO Zuckerberg and Tencent CEO Ma Huateng towards AR technology has undoubtedly increased the magic of this new technology. It can be said that in the eyes of almost all Internet industry professionals, at this stage, whoever can master the latest AR technology and put it into use will be the Steve Jobs who launched the iPhone 1 in 2007. Just ask, who doesn't want to be the next Steve Jobs.

It is on this basis that Internet companies' investment in AR technology is seen by many as a very important key point for future layout. The most direct reaction is reflected in the stock value. After McDonald's announced its cooperation with Pokemon Go, its stock price soared by 10% the next day, which is almost comparable to the surge in Google's stock price after the battle between AlphaGo and Lee Sedol.

Therefore, for all Internet companies, the layout in AR can be said to kill two birds with one stone: on the one hand, they can obtain vested interests from the capital market and enjoy the dividends now; on the other hand, they can enhance their risk resistance through investment in the future. It is precisely because of this that we can see that BAT and other companies are eager to use AR technology. Let's take stock of the layout of the three giants BAT in the field of AR:

Baidu: AR image recognition technology is its biggest advantage

In August this year, Baidu officially released the mobile AR platform DuSee. According to the official introduction, DuSee uses computer vision and deep learning technology to understand what is in real-time images. The platform can "understand" the 3D environment of the real world through smartphone hardware, so that the images generated by the phone can interact with the real world. In the future, it can be applied in interactive advertising, marketing, education, manufacturing, interior design and other fields.

In simple terms, Baidu's judgment on the future commercialization prospects of AR technology is similar to that of Pokemon Go. For example, in interactive advertising, users can use AR recognition technology to see advertisements after recognizing a scene; for interior design, users currently need to look at floor plans, but in the future they may be able to see a three-dimensional floor plan directly after recognizing the floor plan; for manufacturing, users can use AR technology to directly carry out virtual design, which will greatly improve accuracy and efficiency...

Baidu's decision to enter the AR field was to "cut off the drone project". In Baidu's view, not producing drones is its biggest disadvantage. However, compared with the above factors, it is more about the drone project. Whether it is the current competitor DJI or the scene entry of drones, they are both big pain points, and the commercial prospects of AR technology are far less promising. After all, the technological and industrial innovation brought by AR cannot be replaced by drones.

In terms of AR technology, I personally think that Baidu's biggest advantage lies in the "technical level", including image recognition, data, cloud and other technical aspects, which can be directly applied to AR. The disadvantage is also relatively obvious. Apart from Baidu Maps, it seems that Baidu does not have a rigid "entry". In other words, due to its relative backwardness in the mobile Internet level, it occupies relatively few scenarios, which will directly affect the future use of AR technology in specific scenarios.

It can even be said that if Baidu wants to make a difference in the AR field, the key is to see how much its core technology can lead its competitors, which will also determine Baidu's future space.

Alibaba: AR technology has the most promising commercial prospects

In February this year, Alibaba led the investment in Magic Leap, which has always been called a "myth" in the industry, raising a total of US$794 million. In May, Alibaba continued to invest an additional US$200 million, and the cumulative investment amount has reached nearly US$1 billion. This enabled Magic Leap to obtain a C round of financing before any product was released, and its valuation reached US$4.5 billion.

The reason why Alibaba has a special liking for Magic Leap is that its "whale video" is too amazing. Magic Leap uses AR technology to make a whale jump out of the stadium and splash water. To use the world as a display screen and to create a product that far exceeds Google Glass, "the significance is like the Apollo landing on the moon." This is the bold statement released by Magic Leap before. Another good news is that Magic Leap's products are said to have entered the production stage.

In July this year, Taobao took the lead in trying AR technology. By scanning the QR code on the ticket with the Taobao App on your mobile phone, a cute Taobao doll (Taobao's mascot) will appear on the mobile phone screen. It will be projected into the real scene using AR technology, and will signal the public to follow it, inform the public of the direction of the venue, and guide the public to the correct location.

Meanwhile, Magic Leap CMO Wallace also demonstrated AR shopping applications during his visit to China. Using AR technology, users can view their favorite products in 360 degrees. For example, if a user wants to buy a table lamp for his child in his newly renovated home, he can use Magic Leap's device to check the appropriate size and height of the table lamp. At the same time, the system will automatically select suitable table lamps and display them in front of him. Click on any table lamp to view the effect of the table lamp on the table, which is basically the same as the actual placement effect. Then click the purchase button on the table lamp to successfully place the order.

In my opinion, Alibaba has two advantages in the AR field. On the one hand, it has always been bold and forward-looking "strategy", which has enabled it to have the technical support of Magic Leap and the opportunity to be at the forefront of the industry; on the other hand, Alibaba is close enough to money and has a rich commercialization scenario. Correspondingly, Alibaba's shortcomings in the AR field are relatively obvious. After all, Magic Leap is an investment project. How much resources and energy can be put into Alibaba? This may be like what Robin Li said, investment and owning are actually two different things.

Tencent: The most urgent and courageous use of AR technology

In August this year, Tencent launched a torch relay activity using AR on QQ. As a "traditional project" of previous Olympic Games, Tencent QQ was confident enough to use the light-up icon to promote AR. The final result also proved that more than 100 million people participated in this game and won a Guinness World Record. It can be said that this should be the game with the most participants in the Internet industry.

Tencent QQ's AR torch relay is also relatively simple. Some users will get an AR identification picture. After the second person scans it with the AR scanning function in the mobile phone QQ, they can see an AR animation and become a torchbearer and get a "torch" icon. Obviously, Tencent uses its biggest advantage - social fission method to let many people experience AR technology smoothly.

I personally think that Tencent has two purposes for doing this. On the one hand, it is to gain a foothold in the industry. When AR is hot, it needs a project that can inspire people, give confidence to the capital market, and play a role in shocking others, so that everyone knows that Tencent has AR technology and is capable of expanding it. On the other hand, it is to grab a ticket to the future social field, just like WeChat grabbed a ticket to the mobile Internet back then. Tencent is trying to use QQ to grab a ticket to AR-social. This is particularly important when Zuckerberg and many industry leaders have repeatedly emphasized that the next technology that may subvert the social landscape may be AR technology.

Tencent's advantage in AR is its strong ability to popularize its social attributes, such as scanning and shaking. Tencent has the ability to quickly turn a new technology into a "national application". Another advantage is that, like Alibaba, Tencent has also invested in some AR companies such as Unity and Meta through capital operations; however, Tencent's disadvantage in AR is how to balance the reality and the future in terms of strategy. After all, for a company that is thriving in all aspects, the moment of reform is often the most painful and slow.

In any case, as users, we are very happy to see BAT's investment in the AR field. After all, for any product that can trigger industry changes, it takes a long process from technology to commercial use, and it also requires enough explorers and trial and error. Whether BAT invests in the AR field, conducts independent research and development, or even directly launches "engineering products", these will greatly promote the development of AR. In a trance, we seem to be able to see that an era where the whole world is a screen is coming to us.