Layar says: Layar has seen continued growth in the adoption of its interactive print technology among publishers and marketeers, producing tangible and unprecedented results.
Following the launch of the self-service Layar Creator in June of last year, Layar has seen promising month-over-month growth. Over 55,000 publishers currently use the do-it-yourself platform to add interactive digital content to printed pages. More than 200,000 interactive pages have already been published.
End-users are engaging with Layar as well. The Layar App continues to see more than 1 million downloads each month, and campaign engagement has reached as high as 45% among readers. Of those that use Layar to scan a print page, an astonishing 87% interact with the content on that page.
These figures allow Layar to draw several conclusions about today's AR market:
• Users are clearly eager to experience AR with the high number of downloads of the Layar App.
• High click-through rates suggest customers that experience AR will interact with it on a much deeper level than with other mediums.
• The United States is hungry for AR with over 7 million downloads of the Layar App and the partnering of several large publishing houses with Layar.
• While many are wowed by flashy 3D experiences, the simplicity of buttons and videos in interactive print has proven to be very successful at providing tangible results.
• AR is no longer a thing of the future, it is here now and it is real!
“The market for AR and interactive print has really begun to develop itself, and it is clear that Layar is fueling the ecosystem at the vanguard of this development,” says Layar CEO Quintin Schevernels.
“In the next 12 to 18 months, we expect to see further acceleration in the amount of magazines, newspapers, brands and industries embracing AR and making it a part of their content and marketing strategies," he adds. "With our technology, products, knowledge and expertise, we believe that we will play a crucial role in this growth.”
Based on the company's insights as thought leaders in the augmented reality and interactive print industries, Layar feels now is the time to take the next big step. Today, the company simultaneously launched a completely redesigned and rebranded app, logo and website.
The redesigned Layar App, the world's most popular mobile AR app with over 33 million downloads, now features a sleek design and new features that make the user experience for AR easier and more friendly. With the new Recent Content feature, users can revisit a handy list of previously viewed AR content whenever they want - something no other AR app offers.
The new Layar logo, which does away with the previous logo's cloud design, is cleaner, more recognizable and claims the company's position as the undisputed leaders in augmented reality. The logo is an improvement both as a stand-alone brand and as a call-to-action in print for readers.
A completely redesigned and rethought website completes the launch, creating a one-stop portal for information on augmented reality, interactive print and Layar. The website shows, tells, shares and allows everyone to experience what AR can do for businesses and consumers.
The new Layar App for iOS and Android is available now in the App Store and Google Play Store.
About Layar
Layar says: “As the world leader in mobile augmented reality and interactive print, Layar is bridging the gap between the print and digital worlds. Augmented reality (AR) is cutting-edge technology that allows for a digitally enhanced view of the real world, connecting you with more meaningful content in your everyday life. With the camera and sensors in a smartphone or tablet, AR adds layers of digital information – videos, photos, sounds – directly on top of items in the world around us.
Layar-enabled interactive print magazines feature extra digital content that readers can engage with using their smartphone or tablet. The Layar App for iOS and Android has been downloaded over 33 million times, and over 55,000 publishers are using the self-service Layar Creator platform to create interactive campaigns. With Layar’s custom solutions and services, AR technology is made available to all as an embeddable development kit or a white-label application.
Layar’s mission is to provide the highest quality products, services and expertise for the augmented reality and interactive print industries. Companies like Hearst, Hubert Burda, Sanoma, Gruner + Jahr, Conde Nast, Meredith and TBWA are already taking advantage of Layar’s technology to make their products interactive.
Layar was founded in June 2009, and has offices in Amsterdam, New York and Toronto. The company’s shareholders include Intel Capital, Sunstone Capital and Prime Ventures.”
