Snapchat goes all in on AR ecommerce: The platform's long history with augmented reality innovation gives it a boost over competitors like Amazon or Pinterest looking to leverage AR for shopping.

On today's episode, we discuss how advertisers are adjusting as the pandemic eases in the US, whether Facebook Live Shopping can get off the ground, online shopping's deceleration, if faster delivery can really help retailers compete with Amazon, what to make of Snapchat's fourth-generation augmented reality glasses, and how much time we really have to enjoy life. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer senior analyst Sara M. Watson, analyst Daniel Keyes, and analyst at Insider Intelligence Blake Droesch.

On today's episode, we discuss whether augmented reality is the future of marketing, how Clubhouse launching on Android can help the social audio platform grow its user base, how much the pandemic changed boomers' online behavior, whether "buy now, pay later" can move beyond retail, how to help people find something to watch on Netflix, how to swim up in the sky, and more. Tune in to the discussion with eMarketer analysts Nina Goetzen and Daniel Keyes, and principal analyst at Insider Intelligence Jeremy Goldman.

Medtronic and Surgical Theater partnered to use AR to boost real-time neurosurgery visualizations. While hospitals like Johns Hopkins are turning to AR to streamline surgeries, it’ll likely take some time before cash-strapped hospitals can hope for wide-scale implementation of the tech.

Amazon’s AR push: The ecommerce giant has opened an in-person hair salon to show off its new augmented reality (AR) tools. Were Amazon to integrate AR into its site, it could make this experimental mode of shopping commonplace.

This report provides our latest forecasts for VR and AR users in the US and examines some market dynamics affecting the maturation of immersive technologies.

Discovery and consideration are in a different place than before the pandemic. With less access to in-person touchpoints, consumers started exploring technology like augmented reality for their shopping needs. Brands have since launched new experiences to cater to consumer demands, but preexisting implementations also saw upticks in usage.

The customer experience landscape has changed dramatically over the last year as pandemic-induced lockdowns and social distancing pushed many consumers to try new technologies and experiences, such as click and collect, proximity payments, and augmented reality.

Extended reality (XR) technologies—including virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR)—are still in the early phases of adoption, but they are evolving quickly. While most use cases for VR and AR are still related to gaming, entertainment, and social media, the variety of applications is expanding as more consumers and businesses test out immersive experiences.

From product-focused creative to augmented reality tools and a proprietary delivery service, furniture seller Article is dedicated to great customer experience every step of the way. Watch Industry Voices with Duncan Blair, vice president of marketing at Article, to learn how its white-glove strategy has introduced consumers to online furniture shopping over the past year.

On today's episode, we discuss Facebook letting users choose how their News Feed looks, Clubhouse adding tipping, tech giants betting people are ready for augmented reality (AR) glasses, making the most of "micromoments," Apple making a car, what happens when you look down at your phone while walking, and more. Tune in to listen to the discussion with eMarketer analysts Nina Goetzen and Blake Droesch, and senior analyst at Insider Intelligence Sara M. Watson.

Once relegated to the children’s market, virtual characters are entering the mainstream in China. Fictional as these digitally rendered avatars may be, they hold real jobs, from pop star to influencer, to even news anchor. And they’re becoming increasingly interactive and humanlike, thanks to improvements in technologies such as AI, motion capture, and virtual reality (VR). Recent advancements in augmented reality (AR), in particular, have enabled virtual avatars to step out of social media and make live appearances alongside flesh-and-blood celebrities.