Taking inspiration from the wider entertainment industry, iGaming has been driven by emerging mobile technology to provide an engaging and immersive user experience. It in turn blazed the trail for other industry sectors such as retail, which has picked up the ball and run with it.
The power of immersion is something that developers of retail apps place at a premium — shoppers will find a variety of technologies to make shopping accessible and stress-free. Let’s look at how iGaming and retail have adopted the same cutting-edge mobile tech.
Immersive iGaming
We all carry powerful smartphones in our pockets, and game developers are harnessing that technology to produce more interesting, cutting-edge games, as well as an immersive environment to play and socialise in. Augmented reality (AR) is becoming a more common option on iGaming sites and apps, and some operators even have virtual reality (VR) capabilities. Bingo is the latest online gambling sensation to benefit from this advanced technology.
A glance at any online bingo site will illustrate its appeal with younger players — while traditional forms of the game are always popular, newer variants such as slingo are gaining traction. As the name suggests, slingo combines bingo with slots, and uses a wide variety of themes to spice the action up, from Space Invaders to Ancient Egypt.
Intuitive engagement
From bingo to online casinos, iGaming is driven by a mobile-first approach, with every operator offering dedicated apps on which to enjoy their games. Simplicity is key to a successful app — think about how many apps you’ve tried and abandoned due to their being too fiddly, with functions difficult for even the most nimble fingers to control. A great app will be responsive and intuitive — it will also need to load fast — anything that takes more than a few seconds is likely to be deleted.
As retail apps deal with multiple images, drop-down menus that display different sizes and colours, and sizing information, the design and functionality is of paramount importance. For an example of a great retail app, check out clothing retailer ASOS — there is a great deal of information, presented simply and without clutter, highly functional and with strong branding.
Immersive experience
Mobile gaming is heavily reliant on emerging technologies, with game developers incorporating live video capabilities, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into their services. These nascent technologies are also being utilised by retail companies to great effect. AR is the most relevant — in fashion retail, for example, virtual try-on is widely used, allowing customers to see what they’d look like with different items of clothing superimposed over their image. Likewise with eyewear — glasses and sunglasses are more likely to be purchased online now than they ever have before. H&M and Burberry are two notable brands employing the technology to great effect.
And interior design is easier than ever — no need for paint testers in the 21st Century. AR allows you to try out different colours, materials, and pieces of furniture as interactive objects in the real world environment, and big companies like IKEA and Macy’s have been using the technology for some time.
Nascent technologies are impacting the way we engage with services across the board, from entertainment to banking and back again. With mobiles growing more powerful — and more affordable — year on year, user experience looks set to keep on improving.
