As Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality continue to develop very quickly, our photos could soon turn from two-dimensional memories into rooms where we can freely walk around. This was foretold in the 2018 edition of Ericsson’s ConsumerLab trend report, representing predictions of 34 million early technology adopters.

Smartphones lead the shift, according to the Ericsson report. Not because they are necessarily the best quality cameras, but because they are always there when you need them. For this reason, our memories have changed from physical photo albums, at best stored in a bookshelf or tucked away in storage, to digital albums within arm’s reach right in our pocket, always there to experience a walk down memory lane.

View things from more angles

New technologies, such as light field photography, are changing the nature of photos themselves, and we will soon be able to view the things we snap from more angles than a flat picture frame allows.

Capture in 3D and revisit in VR

According to Ericsson’s trend report, 75 percent of consumers believe that in just five years we will be taking photos at events such as weddings or birthdays and revisiting them in VR. On the way to making this a reality, one out of every two users already want a smartphone camera that lets them capture everything around them in 3D. Those who are currently using AR or VR have a higher level of interest in this area, with 56 percent even wanting contact lenses with built-in AR or VR functionality.

Thrilling future, isn’t it? And when this technology is readily available, maybe it can be applied in your dental practice or laboratory to improve your business.

Read the full Ericsson’s ConsumerLab 2018 trend report here and the recently published 2019 trend report here.