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Friday, 26.04.2024, 03:29
Russian Mobile Angels to develop augmented reality app in Lithuania
“We are focused on producing geographical
information systems and mobile applications that help people feel comfortable
in new or unfamiliar terrain,” says Sergey
Tsymbal, CEO of Mobile Angels.
“So far, our largest project was the mobile app Snow Angel Ski Guide intended
for skiing enthusiasts. The app was welcomed extremely warmly by the market, so
we are now developing new products which are even more technologically complex,
which will soon be ready to present.”
Mobile
Angels considered a range of potential locations in
the CEE region before selecting Lithuania as the site for their new development
team. The decisive factors in Lithuania’s favour were its wealth of competence
in the IT sector and its strategic location, providing easy access to key
markets for Mobile Angels. These
advantages meant the Baltic country was chosen ahead of Estonia, Latvia, the
Czech Republic and Slovakia, the other countries which were under
consideration.
To date, Mobile Angels’ most significant creation has been the Snow Angel Ski
Guide, an application which is designed to help skiers to safely navigate ski
resorts. They can create routes based on a range of criteria including ability
level, places to visit (such as panoramic views and restaurants), and the
amount of time they wish to spend on the mountain. The app is unique as it is
the only audio guide for skiers and snowboarders on the market. The app will be
available for skiers across 30 resorts in the Alps this winter, and the company
plans to roll it out to the US next year.
In August, Mobile Angels unveiled another major project, the free route tracking and sharing application Squiro. Useable without registration, the app is aimed at active leisure enthusiasts who want a simple and easy-to-use personal assistant to navigate them on their adventures, and to track their activities, take photos and share their experiences with friends.
Another navigation application, this time
featuring a full and extensive augmented reality experience, is due to be
launched this coming December. So far, detailed information on the project, and
the tech solutions it will use, are confidential, but like Mobile Angels’ other products, the app will be designed for those
fond of sports and active leisure activities.
The prospects for augmented reality based
applications and software have never looked brighter. The popularity of the
augmented reality game Pokemon Go has shaken the global IT and gaming markets
this year, posting a record €176 million profit in its first 30 days. Yet
analysts believe augmented reality’s greatest potential lies with technology
used in sectors other than the gaming industry.
Ugnius
Ramanauskas, leader of the Technologies team at
foreign investment development agency Invest Lithuania, believes the potential
for using augmented reality in business and commerce is huge. “It is thought
that the largest success in this sector will be for applications with augmented
reality functions that address the needs of industry, e-commerce, infrastructure
and a range of business areas. Solutions
are already being used by Volvo, Ikea, Starbucks and other globally known
brands,” Ramanauskas points out. And he is confident that the presence of Mobile Angels in Lithuania will
accelerate the growth of this sector in the Baltic state. “The product
currently being developed by Mobile
Angels will be the first step of the Lithuanian IT sector into a growing,
challenging and promising market,” he says.