Nearly two years since the launch of iOS 14.5, mobile advertisers are beginning to adjust to its measurement challenges. But they have a new option in Apple, which is using its data-tracking power to expand its advertising platform. At the same time, smartphones will deepen their role as a remote control for the home and the second screen for out-of-home (OOH) via augmented reality (AR).

Mobile AR Gets Anchored

Numerous platforms “anchor” AR experiences to exact locations or points of interest. Niantic’s Pokémon Go introduced location anchoring to a wider audience with Pokéstops, which let businesses sponsor exact locations in the real world. Now, many platforms have joined Niantic and released their own sophisticated AR-anchoring tools, including:

• Google’s ARCore Geospatial API, its AR developer platform with persistent cloud anchors.
• Snap’s Custom Landmarkers, which lets developers create AR experiences on points of interest.
• Apple’s Location Anchors beginning with ARKit 4, its AR developer platform.

Pandemic-fueled growth of QR codes has made AR in OOH more accessible. QR codes make it easy for smartphone users to launch AR experiences by pointing their phone at a digital out-of-home (DOOH) screen or billboard.