From the results of our continuing user research, we’ve found that interactive print is becoming more and more desirable from users, and they’re looking to more easily enjoy content. Users also want to be able to access this content later and to share it with others.

Based on this trend, we’ve already added features to the Layar App to meet this need. The Recent Content section – a kind of “history” section for Layar – allows users to review interactive print items and links they’ve previously interacted with. In the coming months we’ll be expanding this functionality to allow users to save and share full interactive print experiences.

As for the latest version of Layar, we’ve introduced a new feature that aims to improve the overall user experience. It’s called “Pop-out” and it allows users to literally pop the interactive experience out of the print page and onto their device.

Now users can continue to enjoy content however they want, all without keeping their device pointed at the original page. Instead of hunching over with a magazine in one hand and a phone in the other, users can now lean back and engage with interactive print with both hands in full comfort. With Pop-out, users are more likely to both engage with and share their experience with others. You can see how it works in the video above.

Our preliminary results from Layar 8.1 (we has been out on iOS for a few weeks now) show that engagement with interactive print has increased thanks to the Pop-out feature. Roughly half of users that see an interactive augment use the Pop-out feature to continue the experience away from the page, advertisement or other item.

When users tap the new Pop-out button in the lower-left corner, we show the original page and added digital content on their screen. They can move, zoom and tap all they want - all without needing to keep their device pointed at whatever it is they scanned.

“I really like this feature because it makes engaging with interactive print so much easier and convenient,” said Layar Product Manager Maurice Groenhart. “With the new Pop-out feature, I can lean back and enjoy the interactive print experience as comfortably as possible.”

The new Layar 8.1 is available now for iOS and Android.

At the end of 2013, we conducted a global online survey among Layar App users to get a better idea of why consumers download Layar, how they use the app to scan interactive print and more.

From this research we were able to draw some strong conclusions that shed light on some meaningful business opportunities for publishers and marketeers. Here are some of the key findings from the survey that you can use to take advantage of interactive print for your business.

Consumers Are Drawn to Layar’s Brand and Possibilities of Interactive Print

Thanks to Layar’s strong brand awareness, 35% of respondents downloaded Layar out of pure curiosity. Another 31% downloaded the app because they were eager to access the extra digital content provided by interactive print in a publication or ad. Of the 4% of respondents who downloaded the Layar App for any “other” reason, most did so because they considered Layar to be “cool” or “awesome,” or because they “just love AR.”

Users Are Familiar With Or Open to Making Mobile Purchases

More than half of Layar App users have made a purchase on their mobile device, and an additional one-third say they could in the future. This is a huge opportunity for publishers, advertisers, marketeers and more to take advantage of interactive print for mobile ecommerce revenue.

Consumers Are Eager to Experience Interactive Print

65% of those that have scanned with Layar try to get their hands on as much AR content as possible or will scan when given the chance to. 95% of those that haven’t scanned with the Layar App are interested in having an interactive print experience. This is an excellent opportunity to provide extra content that consumers are eager to engage with.

Layar Users Fall Into More Mature Age Brackets

32% of Layar App users fall between the ages of 20 and 30. Just 14% are younger than 20 while 54% are above 30. Layar’s users are older than the average smartphone user. Publishers can take advantage of this by targeting their interactive print to a more mature audience.

To dive deeper into the results of our global user research, download the PDF here!

We recently released an update to the Layar App that introduces a few new features that help make the user experience even better than before. We’ve also produced a new video going over the basics of the Layar App, which you can see above.

Firstly, we’ve made it easy for users to discover and interact with your campaigns. Users are eager to scan content around them with the Layar App. The new What Can I Scan? section in the side menu provides a dynamic list of campaigns that are available in the user’s region. It also directs them to four basic uses of interactive print: items with the Layar logo and call-to-action, QR codes, paper currency and movie posters.

See how you can discover new content in the video below.

And secondly, we’ve added a fun new feature that allows users to capture a screenshot or photo of the interactive experience they are viewing. Tapping the campaign icon in the upper right corner reveals a Take Photo button which they can use to capture, share and save their experience! If they like what they see, now they can save it and share it!

Take a look at how this works in the video below.

You can check out the new features now in the latest version of Layar for iOS and Android.

Download Layar!

As interactive print continues to grow across the globe, we felt it was time to put some of Layar’s key facts down in an easily digestible format. 

The infographic below illustrates Layar’s growth and dominance in augmented reality and interactive print. Figures include total downloads of the Layar App, publishers using the Creator, campaigns and pages created, who’s using Layar, and much more!

The most impressive stat of all, however, is the 87% average click-through rate (CTR) seen from interactive print campaigns with Layar.

And, of course, it’s enhanced with Layar. Scan it with the Layar App for links and more info! You can also download and share the infographic as a PDF or JPG.

DOWNLOAD: PDF

If you’re reading this, you’ve already discovered one of three big things we’ve launched today at Layar - our new website! Today, we are also very proud to introduce both an entirely redesigned Layar App and a brand new Layar logo.

This marks the beginning of a new era for Layar as we continue to help bridge the gap between print and digital. Based on our insights as thought leaders in AR, we felt now was the time to make some big changes and take the next step forward. Here’s what’s new!

The redesigned Layar App, the world’s most popular mobile AR app with over 33 million downloads, now features a sleek design and new features that make the user experience for AR easier and more friendly. With the new Recent Content feature, users can revisit a handy list of previously viewed AR content whenever they want - something no other AR app offers.

The new Layar logo, which does away with the previous logo’s cloud design, is cleaner, more recognizable and claims the company’s position as the undisputed leader in augmented reality. The logo is an improvement both as a stand-alone brand and as a call-to-action in print for readers.

A completely redesigned and rethought website completes the launch, creating a one-stop portal for information on augmented reality, interactive print and Layar. You’re looking at it right now! The website shows, tells, shares and lets everyone experience what AR can do for businesses and consumers. Start exploring now!

“The market for AR and interactive print has really begun to develop itself, and it is clear that Layar is fueling the ecosystem at the vanguard of this development,” says Layar CEO Quintin Schevernels.

Following the launch of the self-service Layar Creator in June of last year, we’ve seen promising month-over-month growth. Over 55,000 publishers currently use the do-it-yourself Layar Creator to add interactive digital content to the printed page. More than 200,000 interactive pages have already been published.

The Layar App continues to see more than 1 million downloads each month, and campaign engagement has reached as high as 45% among readers. Of those that use Layar to scan a print page, and astonishing 87% interact with the content on that page.

“In the next 12 to 18 months, we expect to see further acceleration in the amount of magazines, newspapers, brands and industries embracing AR and making it a part of their content and marketing strategies,” add Schevernels. “With our technology, products, knowledge and expertise, we believe that we will play a crucial role in this growth.”

AR is no longer a thing of the future, it is here now and it is real!

Download the new Layar App for iOS and Android in the App Store and Google Play Store today!