Niantic has made significant strides in the extended reality (XR) industry with new product innovations. These findings were highlighted in the XR Association’s 2024 State of the Industry Report. The report found that the education, healthcare, and national defense sectors have seen the most gains and drive the most innovation with immersive technologies.

XR 2024 Recap: Moving Beyond the Hype Cycle

The immersive technology industry has evolved beyond the hype of 2023, entering a more strategic and enterprise-driven era in 2024. The integration of XR and AI is reshaping industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, education, and defense. In manufacturing, over 50% of global companies are expected to implement XR by 2025 to enhance training, quality control, and productivity. Healthcare professionals are also embracing XR, with 84% believing AR and VR will positively impact the industry, particularly in medical training, remote surgeries, therapy, and patient education. Education is emerging as a key growth area, with around 40% of XR startups developing interactive learning applications that enhance cognitive skills. Meanwhile, government and defense agencies are increasingly leveraging XR, with 17 out of 23 surveyed agencies actively using the technology for training, public outreach, and decision-making.

How Niantic Propels the XR Industry

As XR adoption accelerates, companies like Meta, Vive, and Qualcomm are driving innovation through wearable devices and powerful chips that enhance connectivity and interaction. Niantic is pushing the boundaries further with Niantic Spatial Platform, which enables high-fidelity scans of objects and locations, precise positioning, and AR visualizations with centimeter-level accuracy. This technology fuels XR applications across various industries, particularly in warehousing, remote collaboration, and entertainment, where spatial computing plays a crucial role.

Spatial computing, powered by extended reality devices, enables machines to see and interact with the world like humans, overlaying digital information onto physical spaces. Much like the World Wide Web transformed how we access information, the spatial web is redefining how we experience and interact with our surroundings in real-time. As the XR industry continues to expand, spatial computing is set to become a fundamental component of enterprise solutions, bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds.

Manufacturing and Warehousing Companies Increase Adoption of XR Technologies

The report quoted Scoop Market which found that “more than half of the global manufacturing companies are projected to implement XR technologies by 2025.” XR has the potential to improve manufacturing processes from workforce development, prototyping, and quality assurance. We found that warehousing is one area primed for spatial computing applications.

Niantic Spatial Platform delivers precise localization and augmentation. This means that anyone using the platform can locate items. Niantic Spatial Platform also localizes the operator’s position so they know exactly where to place inventory based on pre-specified locations shown via augmented reality.

Enterprise XR Applications Extend Beyond Remote Collaboration to Remote Surgeries

XR technology is used increasingly for medical training and remote surgeries, according to the XR report. While Niantic Spatial Platform isn’t specifically designed for surgery, it is meant for remote collaboration across different enterprise sectors. “Enterprise applications of XR are on the rise, with an anticipated market share of 30% by 2025,” writes Yogesh Shinde on Scoop.

Niantic Spatial Platform does more than virtually put you in the same room as others. It integrates XR, AI, and GIS so that remote teams can visualize real-world 3D environments and engineers can design structures using real-world coordinates virtually. This is possible when using Niantic to capture high-fidelity scans of objects and locations to visualize them with centimeter-level precision.

Entertainment Evolves Into Fully Immersive Experiences

The XR Association and the XR industry advocate for immersive technology beyond entertainment and gaming. While it’s important to understand and advocate for XR in other sectors, we can’t ignore the benefits of platforms like Niantic’s Spatial Platform for the entertainment industry.

The entertainment industry continues to find ways to make their experiences more immersive and engaging. XR and spatial computing are the technologies to do that.

Niantic Spatial Platform can turn any entertainment experience into a multi-user game to bring more fun and excitement to the experience. By enabling AR-powered wayfinding, virtual signage, and multi-user experiences, Niantic Spatial Platform expands entertainment beyond the physical event, extending engagement before, during, and after the experience.

Conclusion

XRA’s report highlights the steady growth of XR adoption across industries, with manufacturing, healthcare, and government agencies leading the way in education and training. While gaming and entertainment remain dominant, the same immersive technologies are reshaping enterprise applications to enhance training, production, and collaboration.

At Niantic, we’re driving the next wave of XR and spatial computing with the Niantic Spatial Platform, by integrating XR, GIS, and AI to power real-world solutions. As we expand spatial services for the enterprise, we remain committed to advancing the XR industry for businesses and consumers alike.