Your smartphone may have some amazing features, but augmented reality applications are set to offer a whole new dimension.

Augmented reality (AR) is the next phase of smartphone development that could usher in literally a new way of working with your phone. In essence, AR places a computer-generated layer of information over any scene you point your smartphone at. The scene is 'augmented' with a range of data depending on what your phone is looking at. Scenes can be static, but AR really comes into its own when enhancing real-time video.

Some current examples that are showcasing the capabilities of AR applications are in tourism. Point an AR enabled smartphone at a museum and see opening times and details of current exhibits layered over the live image the camera on your smartphone is delivering to the screen.

Other uses that AR is finding a ready market for is architecture where building sites can be instantly transformed into how the finished building will look. Military and emergency services are using AR for mapping and of course with AR you no longer need to worry about navigating to your next business meeting, as the AR view of the street you are on will show you your next turn.

Technology in focus

AR can at first glance seem a little sci-fi with few real-world business applications. Certainly the technology is not new being developed decades ago, but of course without a platform like the smart cell phone to exploit it, the technology wasn't developed. Initially at least, the leisure markets are clearly the main market sector that developers will be aiming at. Nokia have put together a concept of their AR glasses that illustrates how this technology might develop in the future.

Nokia have also been hard at work perfecting their Ovi mapping application that is now available for their N range of phones. Applications like this will shortly have their capabilities enhanced by AR. Michael Halbherr, Head of Ovi Experience and Services at Nokia told TechRadar: "I hope mixed reality is going to be much bigger than virtual reality."

One of the first AR applications is from SPRXmobile that launched Layar [www.layar.com], the world's first AR browser last year. "Eventually, the physical and the virtual worlds will become one. Many visions on Augmented Reality have already been developed, but we are proud to be able to bring this one step closer to reality", says Raimo van der Klein, co-founder of SPRXmobile.

Another AR application that you can try out now comes from acrossair [www.acrossair.com]. If you need to quickly locate and then navigate to the nearest underground station, their AR applications effortlessly gives you directions as you move through major cities including London, New York and Paris.

If you are a complete digital nomad when away from your desk, locating a place to work when you arrive at your destination is essential. WorkSnug from Plantronics [www.worksnug.com] includes workspace reviews and provides details on Internet connectivity, power provisions, community feel, noise level, and even quality and availability of coffee. In addition to WorkSnug's reviews, users can post their own workspace finds and ratings quickly through the application. Plantronics partnered with WorkSnug as part of its smarter work initiative, which focuses on enabling mobile professionals to work comfortably and efficiently from anywhere.

Richard Leyland, founder of WorkSnug says: "As the mobile workforce grows, work is no longer a place we go, but a thing we do. WorkSnug Pro is perfect for anyone who works remotely and is looking to remain productive in a public workspace. The way we work is changing, and we are excited to be an instrumental part of this remote worker revolution."

Commercial reality

At the moment, AR is a very new and immature market. However, early developers of the technology such as SPRX have already begun to use their Layar platform as a commercial store where designers using their Layar browser can now charge for premium AR content. Tourism guides most notably from Berlitz will be the first to use this new paid AR service.

For business travellers the use of AR is at the moment at least limited to after-hours activities. One AR app – Yelp [www.yelp.com] offers AR enhanced reviews of a restaurant before you walk in. However, you can design your own AR business card now with Visualcard [www.visualcard.me] but more professional platforms and applications for business users are still largely in the development stage.

But perhaps AR can eventually offer a window into more than just peripheral information. Could you point your camera at a business colleague and have the AR layer show the latest stock prices of the business they work for. What market share their enterprise has or even more personal data such as their blog and Twitter feeds could all be displayed.

And hotels that are attempting to understand the desires of business travellers are seeking to offer additional services that allow these people to effortlessly blend their lives with work for the ultimate in work/life balance. AR could be a major component of how these new services are delivered to you when you next check in to your favourite hotel.

For the foreseeable future, AR applications that use your location as their basic foundation will dominate the market. For business travellers being able to point their phone at a street and see the location of a FedEx branch or copy shop is certainly more useful than using Google Maps for instance. Travel in general also looks set to be transformed by this technology. Airports can layer additional information about their services via an AR app. AR is in its infancy, but what is certain is that this time next year you will have at least one AR app on your phone if indeed you don't already.

	Augmented or 'mixed' media could find their way into your next pair of glasses if this concept from Nokia ever becomes a real-world product.
	Augmented maps will be one of the main benefits of this new technology. Never be lost again when you land in a new city.
	Business travellers that work on the move will increasingly use apps like WorkSnug to find the best places to work in every major city of the world.