INTERESTED IN augmented reality (AR) but don’t want to hire a programmer? Thanks to Playme AR, you can now create AR content via a drag-and-drop web tool.
The team of young visionaries from Penang recently launched a do-it-yourself web platform. Best of all, you don’t need to know any programming language to use it. Playme AR claims that its drag-and-drop interface and pay-as-you-go format make it easy for anyone to navigate the software.
“I discovered this technology in Hong Kong and realised that Malaysia will be a completely new market to grow it,” says chief partnership officer Issac Phang.
AR is a live direct or indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented or supplemented by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or GPS data.
Playme AR aims to connect traditional print advertisements with a digital counterpart using AR. It believes the digital layer over existing offline content will encourage greater engagement with consumers, which in turn will generate more leads and increase sales for brands.
Phang co-founded Playme AR with Alvin Ooi and Winston Tan. The trio forked out RM10,000 to RM15,000 each to kick-start the business more than a year ago. Currently, they work with a team of 10 people.
The initial capital was used to hire freelancers to build the software’s prototype and test out the idea. The response to the team’s product has been quite positive and they aim to break even by year-end.
How it works
To create AR using the platform, users must first register on the website with an email address. The software sorts of mimics Adobe Photoshop and users have to upload a design (JPEG image) that will trigger AR.
Users can use either readily available interactive content such as social media buttons or upload their own video, audio, pictures and link buttons.
Link buttons inserted in the AR content serves as a call to action for potential customers. They redirect customers to the brand’s website to get more information, make a purchase or redeem a promotional reward.
When that’s done, users can publish their AR content and it’s ready to be used. People need to download the Playme AR app, available on iOS and Android, to view the content on their mobile phones.
As long as the Playme AR logo is visible on an object, it can be scanned for AR content.
“It’s more like educating people, letting them know what they need to look for and where to look for it. That’s also the reason why we use the name Playme — it’s a very general name that sends a direct message across,” explains Ooi.
Each time a design is scanned using the app, the AR content will be called from the server. This is how the system keeps track of all the data.
“Only successful scans will be counted, so the ones that have a bug or error, or if the internet connection is lost, they are not considered complete,” says Ooi.
Growing the numbers
Playme AR is caught in a chicken-and-egg situation. It needs to increase the number of app users to get brands on board to use the platform, but at the same time, it needs brands to create AR content for users to scan using the app.
The team has a couple of ideas to create critical mass. One of them is related to tourism.
“It can start with a fun thing and then grow into normal daily use. For that project, we are thinking of augmenting historical buildings and places that have high traffic, so people can start using the app to see more things,” Ooi explains.
The app has already garnered 10,000 downloads without any marketing activities and more are expected once brands start creating AR content.
The mobile app is free to download whereas the AR creator allows users to upload one or two designs for free. If they want more, they will have to make a purchase.
“We are still tweaking it because previously, we shifted from the general market to the enterprise direction. However, after that, our investors wanted us to grow the general market because that’s where the numbers will come in,” says Ooi.
Playme AR is already working with 10 agencies in Malaysia. The current conversion rate of paid users is 17% as it has approached almost 50 agencies.
For US$199 (RM710) a month for six months, enterprises will receive unlimited designs and a maximum of 10,000 scans a month.
“If they don’t hit it (the number of scans), it will be refreshed and the following month, they will still have 10,000 scans. There’s no bringing them forward,” Ooi points out.
The team also provides project-based services where the price depends on the scale of the project.
This article first appeared in #edGY, The Edge Malaysia Weekly, on May 18 - 24, 2015. Read more here
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