Quite a lot of companies are exploring VR technology as we speak. We have seen this technology make a small impact in the real estate sector already. It seems Airbnb has caught wind of this development, as they want to provide VR previews of rental spots moving forward. A very interesting idea that will only make this platform even more attractive in the future. There is also a focus on augmented reality, which is pretty interesting to take note of as well.
Airbnb Sees Merit in VR and AR
In a way, it is almost surprising to learn companies such as Airbnb haven’t come up with a better way to let travelers preview the location they will be staying at. Although the site offers a lot of pictures and a reputation system, using VR and AR just makes a lot more sense. The company is actively developing such features as we speak, which will be applied to finding and navigating rental listings all over the world
A lot of Airbnb users will like the idea of getting a virtual tour of their next location. While a virtual tour itself is a big step forward, the company also plans to use augmented reality. More specifically, the AR technology can be used to help translate things, get directions to coffee mugs or a dishwasher, et cetera. Such a novel approach will certainly make its way to other industries in the future as well. A very smart move by this company.
It is not the first time we see the concept of VR makes its way into real estate-related services. Airbnb hosts have been asking for such a tool for quite some time now. It doesn’t appear as if the company will provide hosts with the necessary hardware to do so though. Those hosts who buy their own equipment for this specific purpose will undoubtedly attract a lot more people compared to other listings. How the company will handle the AR aspect, remains unknown at this point.
There is no official timeline as to when these new features will come to the platform. It is certainly possible Airbnb is biting off more than they can chew, but only time will tell if that is the case. An interesting future lies ahead for this company and other similar service providers. Whether or not either VR or AR will be considered to be a valuable addition, is anybody’s guess at this time.
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