“Augmented reality has become the futuristic media of the moment, but many consumers,” Ypulse says, but even mobile’s core audience – young, hip, tech-wise adults – are “having a hard time figuring it out.”

Based on the findings of Ypulse’s research, only 11% of high schoolers and collegians have ever used an augmented reality app.

During the holiday season, retailers like Macy’s and brands like Starbucks tried to get customers in the spirit with AR apps. They’re fun and clever, but as with QR codes, Millennials don’t always get the point,” says Melanie Shreffler, Ypulse’s editor-in-chief. “They need to see value in using AR to make the effort to download and use the apps.”

Among students who have used AR apps

•  34% think they’re easy and useful;
• 26% think they’re easy but not useful;
• 18% think they’re useful but not easy; and
• 9% think AR apps are neither useful nor easy to use.

“AR apps have to be interesting enough to get users to download them, and they also need to be engaging enough to get users to come back to the apps again and again,” Ypulse says. “But mostly, they have to work right the first time.”

Are you a fan of augment reality or have you similarly found yourself bewildered by the functionality of AR in modern mobile apps?

Cuban and Qualcomm are delivering an augmented reality experience to this year’s NBA playoff tickets for the Dallas Mavs.

Beginning tomorrow, April 2nd, tickets will go on sale for the first two Mavericks home games of the first round of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.

According to Qualcomm, fans will notice that there’s something dramatically different about these NBA playoff tickets. If you’ve downloaded the “Mavs AR” app from the Android marketplace, simply point your Android phone at the front of the special commemorative 2011 Mavs Playoff ticket.

What happens next? You’ll embark upon an interactive, augmented reality mobile gaming experience featuring some of the biggest names on the Mavs roster, like stars Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry.

For Cuban, the foray into augmented reality for NBA tickets represents what may very well just be the beginning of his ballclub’s widening embrace of mobile technologies in the NBA fan experience.

For more info on the Dallas Mavs’ AR playoff tickets, click here.

The MMA predicts the global mobile advertising market is expected to grow to $13 to $14 billion in 2011, with Asia Pacific expected to bring in the majority of this revenue followed by North America and Europe.

“Recent industry reports from InMobi and Synovate have revealed that consumers are showing a greater inclination towards receiving mobile advertising and marketing messages,”said Rohit Dadwal, Managing Director, MMA Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.  ”As the market continues to grow, we hope to continue to provide insights that we believe should to be on the radar screen of every organisation when deciding on their mobile spend for the region.”

Here’s the MMA’s top 10 trends to watch in 2011:

1.  Personalization and privacy will increase effectiveness and credibility of the mobile media as a marketing channel: As mobile technology continues to evolve, mobile marketing messages will become increasingly personalised / relevant. Additionally, the adoption of transparent, permission-based marketing along with the introduction of regulations and applications for blocking unwanted content will help overcome the perception that mobile advertising is nothing but spam. Mobile will be the only truly conversational and measurable medium that can lead to an actual, real-time increase in business-to-consumer transactions.

2.  Over the top services will drive data usage – On-deck operator ad revenues will be overshadowed by over the top application-based value-added services revenues. These services will help create mobile inventory and enable greater mobile ad spend. Operators should take a step back from establishing their own app stores and concentrate on enabling more converged devices like tablets. Telecom service providers will be forced to review their publishing business investments and plans.

3.  Free SMS/free video/free phone calls will be available across devices – Applications like WhatsApp and Viber are already allowing free SMS and calls from mobile devices. More such applications will be entering the market making these basic mobile features available free of cost across devices. We will also keep seeing an increase in mobile video consumption. The introduction of new ad units, including interactive and partial screen, will subsidize free content.

4.  The re-birth of Windows 7 mobile – The new and relatively strict hardware specifications introduced by Microsoft are geared towards providing a universal user experience much like Research In Motion (RIM) and Apple. Based on prior experience with the availability of too many phones variants, Microsoft is focused on restricting the use of its new operating system by phones that are not compatible. The re-birth of the Windows 7 mobile will further fuel the growth of mobile Internet and advertising.

5. New winner in the HTML5 vs Apps war – A lot has been said about how apps are expected to peak in 2013 and have already shown signs of slowing down. Though the new HTML offers great opportunities, apps and app stores continue to rule mobile content. The availability of basic functions of an app even without an active or stable data connection combined with the high level of usability and engagement offered by app stores make it a much more appealing option for customers. However, the fact that apps are device specific and limit penetration offers opportunities for experimentation that might lead to a decline in their popularity over the coming years.

6.  Location-Based Services (LBS) + Augmented Reality (AR) will be the leading integrated mobile technology in the market – The proliferation of GPS phones with digital compasses has already given rise to a series of location-based AR software platforms and applications. The combination of AR with LBS allows for graphic content related to the position of the user to be overlaid in real-time onto camera images taken by the phone. This makes for one of the most intuitive user interface currently available on mobile and also makes the consumption of location-based information a lot more fun. Such specific targeting will not only fuel ad spend but also transactions.

7.  Mobile micropayments will allow customers to pay from their ‘electronic wallets’ rather than ATM cards - The electronic payment industry is growing rapidly and provides significant opportunities for all electronic payment channels including those on mobile platforms. In developing countries, mobile banking services can address a service gap that is critical to their development. The key advantage of the introduction of mobile payment will be quick transactions. There are no credit card readers, no paper slips and more security than written forms. It will be like an electronic wallet that a customer will always have access to and will provide them with relevant purchase opportunities while they’re on-the-go.

8.  The re-emergence of mobile blogging – As mobile phones become more sophisticated and feature-rich, they are increasingly being used as a replacement for computers. With the introduction and adoption of tablet devices, the consumers now have greater speed, connectivity and battery life in their mobile devices. Several writers/bloggers are already using these devices to pen down their thoughts. With processing power that allows for editing and upload of content in various formats, these mobile devices are fast becoming the preferred travel gadget for professionals and have created opportunities for the development of a whole new set of user applications.

9.  Continued proliferation of smartphones and mobile Internet advertising – It is expected that by 2011 over 85% of handsets shipped globally will have browser capabilities. The relatively large growth in smartphones combined with their superior user interface will continue to encourage more people to access conventional websites on their mobile handsets. Business-to-consumer applications can be delivered using conventional Web tools as well as Web adaptation tools. As smartphone penetration increases, more users will possess the technology to view richer content on their mobile devices making the medium extremely useful for marketers.

10.  Mobiles will jump onto the 3D bandwagon – 3D technology is being incorporated in any and every gadget available in the market today. Mobile manufacturers have also experimented with the technology and Spice Mobility in India has already introduced a phone with 3D capabilities. Manufacturers still have a long way to go in terms of creating a sophisticated 3D mobile device but the market will see a lot more experimentation in 3D phones in the coming year. The technology will lead to the development of new content and advertising avenues.

Surprisingly, while Apple confirms the largely anticipated popular trend of photo-sharing apps for 2010, the level of interest expressed in augmented reality apps exploded this year, a factor that should be expected to heavily influence the aims of app developers in 2011.

In 2010, productivity and entertainment apps dominated iPad application preferences.

Apple’s “Pages,” word processing application, “GoodReader” and “Numbers” captured the top three places in the iPad app store for 2010. Books, Pandora Radio, Netflix, Google Mobile App, and Solitaire were among the top free applications for the iPad.

Angry Birds, Doodle Jump, and Skee-Ball were among the most downloaded paid apps for the iPhone this year.

The highest grossing iPhone app was MLB.com’s “At Bat 2010″ ($14.99).

Angry Birds was another top earning app this year. So were Call of Duty: Zombies, and Bejeweled 2+ Blitz.

Angry Birds also turned up among the top free iPhone apps, an accomplishment made possible by the game’s free “Lite” version. It placed just behind Facebook as the second most popular free iPhone app.

The complete run down of the most most popular iPhone and iPad trends and apps is now available on iTunes.

Layar is a rather impressive app to start with, it uses any database with geo-location information that can easily be turned in a content layer, and then adds that layer to a repository that users can choose from.  While looking through the phone’s camera lens, a user can see houses for sale, popular bars and shops, tourist information of the area, play a live game, etc.

Since location plays such a large role in the functionality of the app, the addition of Skyhook for positioning made perfect sense.  “Because the purpose of Layar is to only show content within a user’s immediate surroundings, precise location is critical for our app,” said Raimo van der Klein, CEO of Layar.  ”The Skyhook SDK provided greatly improved accuracy and speed over the native Android platform.”

Skyhook is the unofficial leader in geo-location technology and fulfills hundreds of millions of location requests every day across millions of handsets, netbooks and cameras.  Skyhook uses a location system that utilizes a combination of Wi-Fi, cellular and GPS readings to produce a single, accurate location quickly and in all environments.  ”Hyperlocal apps like Layar require exact positioning to show a user what’s nearby,” said Ted Morgan, CEO of Skyhook. “Integrating our SDK into the Layar app is the perfect solution to achieve the best location results across all Android devices.”

To show what’s possible with the technology, QPC has put together a video demo that’s quite remarkable to say the least.  If you’re impressed with the potential of AR, it’s safe to say that you haven’t seen anything yet.  Take a look below and be prepared to be amazed.

This is the future of AR and the future of what’s possible with mobile technology.  In watching the video, it’s easy to see the immense possibilities this technology will provide mobile marketers in the future.  Enjoy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The company, now going by the simplified moniker “QPC” for “QderoPateo Communications,” has been busy lately building on their technology known as “Articulated Naturality Web,” and has even partnered with the Chinese government to form the “World ANW Forum” as a sub-forum in Tianjin’s World Economic Forum known as the “Summer Davos Conference.”

Articulated Naturality Web, coined by Steve Chao, the CEO of QPC, basically fuses augmented reality (AR) and the Internet together.  Diving deeper into the advanced tech, ANW-based services include video scene feature identification, image processing, multi-sensor coordination, real-time positioning, wireless access, media information, digital publication, entertainment and other fields of augmented reality, just to name a few.

The combination of these components coupled with the Internet and mobile Internet technology will form an emerging industry going forward.  The organizers of the World ANW Forum decided the annual meeting was necessary to support the standardization and commercialization of ANW according to the international practice’s mission to drive the commercialization, internationalization, and futurization of ANW throughout the world.

“Establishing the World ANW Sub-Forum in Tianjin at the World Economic Forum, ‘Summer Davos Conference’ establishes both QPC and China’s commitment to the world of visually connected information,” said Matt Gaines, Chief Marketing Officer of QPC. “Vision Harbour, our home in Tianjin, is the center of innovation.”

What QPC is doing in this space is quite incredible.  Augmented Reality is impressive is its own right, and ANW goes above and beyond anything we’ve seen with AR.  At the heart of the technology is a super device built by QPC known as the “Ouidoo,” which is a smartphone and mobile OS specifically suited for augmented reality, and specifically AR as it relates to the mobile Web.  The device is capable of 3D images, sports a ton of processing power and packs a ton of potential related to AR apps- making it a truly unique device and a first of its kind.

We’re keeping a very close eye on QPC and the innovation they present through Articulated Naturality, stay tuned.

The first one, simply dubbed “ARIA,” is an interactive concierge app for guests of the hotel, giving users on-the-go access to news, menus, directions, tickets, weather, special offers and much more within a single app.  User can take advantage of all the complex has to offer directly from the app, including reserving show tickets, booking reservations at the numerous restaurants or navigating the massive grounds.

The second, called “CityCenter Fine Arts Collection” provides real-time information on the various artwork located around CityCenter.  The app allows users to either preview the artwork before their visit or learn more about each of the pieces as they walk around.  The app uses GPS technology to pinpoint certain art pieces based on your location and even provides details and ratings on each piece of art.

The third and most engaging app is called “Vegas Reality,” which is an augmented reality (AR) app that merges real Vegas with virtual Vegas for a multi-dimensional experience of its hotels and attractions, including the ARIA itself.  Being the city’s first dedicated AR app, users can simply hold up their iPhone and watch as visions of Vegas appear on the screen and information on the Strip’s hottest resorts and attractions appears as floating text on the screen using the phone’s camera and GPS functionality.  Check out a preview of the app in action here.

It’s a smart move for the ARIA to take advantage of the one device every one of their guests is carrying with them, especially in terms of the concierge app — it’s surprising that we don’t see this more often.  Providing an AR app for a virtual Vegas experience is another brilliant idea.  The ARIA can expand on this once it gains in popularity to include special offers and other real-time information for users.  I have a feeling the droves of other resorts in Vegas will be following suite.

The company today announced its first mobile app known as “Worldlenns,” which is an augmented reality app for the iPhone 3GS that incorporates “SpaceTagging,” a concept pioneered by QderoPateo to allow users to “touch and tag the real world.”

Being called the “first augmented reality fan social interaction tool,” the new app allows users to take a picture, upload it, and even leave a virtual note for other users to see- it’s a social-based augmented reality experience that integrates digital information with the real world.

Here’s how it works; a user opens up the app, signs in and is presented with several “channels” to choose from.  These channels include things like “tag your moment,” “tag your deal” and “tag something tasty.”  The user chooses what category they’d like to tag, and the app goes into camera-mode to allow the user to start tagging the physical world around them.

The user can then tag real-world objects and locations which is then available for other users to stumble upon and contribute to.  It’s social networking that combines the digital aspect of new-age social applications with the physical world around us, creating a unique mashup that signals the future of mobile social networking.

The possibilities of an application like this as the user-base grows are plenty.  Think of it as a foursquare on steroids, whereas instead of “checking-in” virtually, users can check-in by tagging real-world locations and objects.  Built-in mobile advertising models and more could easily be integrated with the foundation Worldlenns has created as well.  We’ll definitely be keeping our eyes on this one.

Users will be able to access the content store within the app to purchase and download additional layers of information to add to their “dual-world” experience.

Already launched for Android, the content store includes additional layers from four content partners, with many more planned for the near future.  iPhone users will have access “soon,” the company says.

The idea behind Layar’s new content store is to allow content providers to distribute “extra info to help app users better navigate the real world,” with a perfect example being “Mouse Reality” who’s made a $3.45 Disneyland layer that serves as a pocket and parent-friendly park guide with 2,700 points of interest, including shows, shops, dining options, rides and other attractions.

Consumers can opt to buy these third-party-created layers in-app via Paypal and add additional content along the way, such as nearby food and beverage details, event info and venue-specific attractions.

Developers and publishers who use the content store to sell their data overlays will take home 60% of the net proceeds from sales, creating a rather viable business model for Layar and augmented reality in general.  Now it’s just a matter of whether consumers will pay for such content.