The Layer technology and AR app is designed to bring the pics to life.
The Netherlands edition of Playboy magazine has just announced that it will be working with the Layar augmented reality app in order to give the print product a new and high tech twist.
This new partnership between the two companies may mean that the AR features may become regular.
The print magazine industry is a struggling one due to the drop in subscriptions and the increase in the number of people who prefer digital content. Playboy has clearly seen this trend and is appealing to the preference for mobile technology among its readers with the addition of a smartphone friendly augmented reality feature that will draw customers who are mobile users.
Augmented reality technology is beginning to make its way into the mainstream world.
This type of technology has been making its way into print media as well as into advertising, gaming, and product enhancement applications. Now, Playboy is hoping that the augmented reality feature will give the magazine a new appeal.
To activate the AR content in the magazine, the reader must download the Layar application onto a smartphone. From there, the app must be opened and then the camera of the device must be aimed at the page.
The partnership between Playboy and Layar allows the print content to become more dynamic through the addition of digital augmented reality technologies. According to a press release issued by Layar, the editor and chief of that region’s version of the magazine is hoping that it will help the publication to expand beyond the limitations of its typical 114 pages.
A great deal of the focus of the augmented reality technology is on the cover of the magazine. Though it is normally designed to catch the eye, when it is combined with the use of the app, it comes to life in a video. This could appear as though it is a gimmicky marketing trick to some, but it is one that was cleverly devised in order to promote interaction with the reader. Should the ploy be successful, its use may be broadened to future issues and to other regions, as well.