VR, AR and beacon technology represent wave of the future according to Mintel trends report
By Tom Anstey 26 Oct 2015
According to Mintel, planned VR and AR headset launches will see consumers enter immersive gamescapes with the power to add entertainment or educational content on top of their normal field of vision
New research from Mintel looking at key consumer trends in Europe has suggested that virtual and augmented reality technologies are about to have a big impact on the consumer market in the UK, as well as beacon technology.
The annual consumer trends report Europe 16 identifies the shifts in European consumer behaviour in multiple markets.
According to Mintel, planned VR and AR headset launches will see consumers enter immersive gamescapes with the power to add entertainment or educational content on top of their normal field of vision using devices such as Microsoft’s HoloLens.
The research suggests that as many as half of consumers are already aware of the upcoming VR headsets, with 31 per cent expressing an interest in using them, a significantly higher figure in the 16-24 demographic (53 per cent). 11 per cent of consumers are also interested in buying a headset.
“Excitement would be tempered if these innovations were confined to in-home gaming – and to those players with the funds to afford them,” reads the report. “But they also present businesses with an opportunity to provide in-store experiences and reassurance, areas which consumers continue to value.
“Growing interest will inspire more businesses to embrace this technology as a means of creating immersive advertising, as Boursin has done with its Sensorium ‘refrigerator rollercoaster’. While cost will preclude VR and AR from entering everyone’s homes, it will be increasingly embraced by businesses seeking to variously entertain and reassure consumers, in a bid to win their attention and their custom.”
Boursin’s Sensorium combines advertising with a virtual rollercoaster ride
In addition to virtual reality, the report also identified beacon technology as a growing trend, with the prediction that the short-range location device which transmits directly to smartphones and androids will flourish in the retail and leisure sectors.
“Beacons have the power to bring destinations alive, especially in The Netherlands, where the entire village of Grou has been connected with 100 beacons,” says the report. “Meanwhile, Exterion Media is trialling beacon technology on 500 London buses to send passengers location-relevant marketing alerts.”
Millennials will be early adopters of beacons, with a third of 16-34-year-olds in the UK saying that they would allow brands they like access to their location for relevant offers. The technology has already been applied at visitor attractions, with beacon technology used to offer information at exhibitions about what the user is looking at.
“Beacons will become more plentiful and more accessible,” says the report. “Once consumers realise that they are the ones in control, the technology will be embraced for the convenience, exclusivity, economy, playfulness and serendipity it can deliver.”
Mintel's Europe 16 trends report, which also highlights fears surrounding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the premium of space and time, and water shortages, is available to download free of charge here.
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results. Owned by former BBC Dragon’s Den investor, ...More
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and Saudi Arabia, following the launch of the inaugural Siro property in Dubai this February. Designed to offer guests a holistic ...More
The US spa industry is continuing its upward trajectory, achieving an unprecedented milestone with a record-breaking revenue of US$21.3 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous high of US$20.1 billion in 2022. This data stems from ...More
Short-term incentives to exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead to sustained increases in activity, according to new research. Researchers found that even a simple daily reminder encouraged people to move ...More
Spa and wellness veteran Shannon Malave has been named spa director at iconic US spa destination Mohonk Mountain House. Based in New York’s verdant Hudson Valley and founded in 1869, Mohonk is a historic Victorian ...More
Six Senses Kyoto opens its doors today, marking the eco-luxury hotel and spa operator’s entry into Japan and a new addition to its urban collection. Situated in the historic Higashiyama district, the 81-key hotel is ...More
The UAE’s first-ever Dior Spa has officially launched at The Lana, Dubai – the Dorchester Collection’s debut property in the Middle East. Bathed in natural daylight on the hotel’s 29th floor, Dior Spa The Lana ...More
The Sacred River Spa at Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan will reopen later this year with an all-new design plus enhanced treatments and experiences inspired by its river valley home. Nestled amid rich tropical ...More
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) has released new data on the US’ wellness economy, valuing it at US$1.8 trillion. According to the organisation's recent report – called The Global Wellness Economy: United States – the ...More
UK sauna enthusiasts will converge at Galgorm Resort in Northern Ireland next week for the highly anticipated second annual UK Aufguss Championships. Hosted from 22-24, the event will see competitors from across the UK showcasing ...More
Remedy Place, a US-based social wellness club brand, is poised for steady expansion in the coming years, with plans to open two new clubs annually moving forward Remedy Place is the brainchild of Dr Jonathan ...More
Swiss longevity brand Clinique La Prairie (CLP) has inked a deal with Montara Hospitality Group to operate a resort at Tri Vananda – a purpose-built wellness community in Phuket, Thailand. Tri Vananda, envisioned as a ...More
Beltrami Linen’s approach to the world of spa is underpinned by a strong emphasis on bespoke
design, where close collaboration with customers and their designers is always of the utmost
importance. ... more
VR, AR and beacon technology represent wave of the future according to Mintel trends report
POSTED 26 Oct 2015 . BY Tom Anstey
According to Mintel, planned VR and AR headset launches will see consumers enter immersive gamescapes with the power to add entertainment or educational content on top of their normal field of vision
New research from Mintel looking at key consumer trends in Europe has suggested that virtual and augmented reality technologies are about to have a big impact on the consumer market in the UK, as well as beacon technology.
The annual consumer trends report Europe 16 identifies the shifts in European consumer behaviour in multiple markets.
According to Mintel, planned VR and AR headset launches will see consumers enter immersive gamescapes with the power to add entertainment or educational content on top of their normal field of vision using devices such as Microsoft’s HoloLens.
The research suggests that as many as half of consumers are already aware of the upcoming VR headsets, with 31 per cent expressing an interest in using them, a significantly higher figure in the 16-24 demographic (53 per cent). 11 per cent of consumers are also interested in buying a headset.
“Excitement would be tempered if these innovations were confined to in-home gaming – and to those players with the funds to afford them,” reads the report. “But they also present businesses with an opportunity to provide in-store experiences and reassurance, areas which consumers continue to value.
“Growing interest will inspire more businesses to embrace this technology as a means of creating immersive advertising, as Boursin has done with its Sensorium ‘refrigerator rollercoaster’. While cost will preclude VR and AR from entering everyone’s homes, it will be increasingly embraced by businesses seeking to variously entertain and reassure consumers, in a bid to win their attention and their custom.”
Boursin’s Sensorium combines advertising with a virtual rollercoaster ride
In addition to virtual reality, the report also identified beacon technology as a growing trend, with the prediction that the short-range location device which transmits directly to smartphones and androids will flourish in the retail and leisure sectors.
“Beacons have the power to bring destinations alive, especially in The Netherlands, where the entire village of Grou has been connected with 100 beacons,” says the report. “Meanwhile, Exterion Media is trialling beacon technology on 500 London buses to send passengers location-relevant marketing alerts.”
Millennials will be early adopters of beacons, with a third of 16-34-year-olds in the UK saying that they would allow brands they like access to their location for relevant offers. The technology has already been applied at visitor attractions, with beacon technology used to offer information at exhibitions about what the user is looking at.
“Beacons will become more plentiful and more accessible,” says the report. “Once consumers realise that they are the ones in control, the technology will be embraced for the convenience, exclusivity, economy, playfulness and serendipity it can deliver.”
Mintel's Europe 16 trends report, which also highlights fears surrounding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the premium of space and time, and water shortages, is available to download free of charge here.
Microsoft will be releasing the first developer version of its augmented reality HoloLens
headset “within the next year”, according to the company’s CEO.
Cité de l'Océan in Biarritz, France – a museum dedicated to the deep blue – has unveiled
a new exhibition using Oculus Rift to give visitors a virtual surfing experience.
Microsoft has unveiled its new HoloLens augmented reality headset, with a stunning
Minecraft demo showcasing the new tech at the annual E3 gaming conference in Los
Angeles, California.
A Brooklyn-based animator has taken Vincent Van Gogh’s classic masterpiece The Night
Café and recreated the work as an explorable three-dimensional piece via a virtual reality
headset.
The Bannatyne Group says it has officially bounced back from the pandemic, with both turnover
and profits restored to pre-2020 levels in 2023, according to its year-end results.
Kerzner International has signed deals to operate two new Siro recovery hotels in Mexico and
Saudi Arabia, following the launch of the inaugural Siro property in Dubai this February.
The US spa industry is continuing its upward trajectory, achieving an unprecedented milestone
with a record-breaking revenue of US$21.3 billion in 2023, surpassing the previous high of
US$20.1 billion in 2022.
Short-term incentives for exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead
to sustained increases in activity according to new research.