Lowe’s is launching two mobile apps using Apple’s new ARKit capabilities, Measured by Lowe’s and Envisioned by The Mine, to provide augmented reality designing options for consumers.
Measured by Lowe’s, now available for download at Apple’s App Store, uses augmented reality to measure an object or distance within the phone’s camera view. Measured uses the iPhone (6S model and newer) camera, which is said to allow users to measure anything in the real world quickly and easily, and save it for later. Users can get instant measurements and even share their “measured moments” on social media. The app can be used for for measuring the height of a chandelier for a foyer to measuring the height of a child and sending it to grandma, for example.
Envisioned by The Mine, a Lowe’s company, will be available in early October and allows users to view high fidelity digital images of furnishings at scale, in their own home or a commercial space, leveraging augmented reality capabilities.
The Mine, an online destination for luxury home furnishings, is a fully featured, end-to-end design and shopping app built specifically for ARKit compatibility for iPhone models 6S and newer. Customers can navigate through The Mine’s designer-inspired product catalog. Once an item is selected, users can immediately place a high-quality, accurate-to-scale 3D version into their room, and modify, rotate or duplicate. The app’s photo mode then allows users to capture images, share and purchase. The app also integrates with TheMine.com to provide a seamless shopping experience with existing, high fidelity 3D models that are generated by Lowe’s content creation technology.
According to Michelle Newbery, president of The Mine, “Our customers come to The Mine for a seamless, high-touch shopping experience that combines design-inspired home furnishings with a personal concierge level of service. With our new app, we’re taking this virtual showroom a step further to build customer confidence before they buy.”
Both apps build upon Lowe’s technology development of augmented, virtual and mixed reality applications for retail.
“At Lowe’s, we believe in harnessing the power of technology to solve every day problems,” said Gihad Jawhar, vp/digital development at Lowe’s. “Beginning with the Holoroom debut in 2014, to the launch of Lowe’s Vision last November, to the introduction of in store navigation in March, Lowe’s has been at the forefront of exploring how mixed reality technology can enhance the customer experience. We were immediately onboard to expand this capability into Apple’s ARKit to help solve some of the most common visualization barriers in home improvement: measurement and design.”
