Online socializing has become the new way of meeting people and keeping in touch with friends. The busy modern life influenced the way we share our thoughts, ideas, and the way we spend quality time with loved ones. Mobility is also another factor – families and friends are scattered all over the world, each in pursuit of their career.

Social media is the convenient way of uniting all these people and creating meaningful conversations between them. And now online interactions are about to be taken to the next level. The change factor: augmented reality.

The start has already been made, timidly like any beginning. But as the possibilities of AR technology advance, the simpler it is to include them into social media platforms and offer users a new, immersive experience for video chats and sharing.

The key elements which will probably shape the future of social media in partnership with augmented reality are:

1. Facebook Purchased Oculus VR And Develops Augmented Reality Glasses Under the Brand

Oculus, a VR startup, became a target for Facebook even before it developed its first commercial product. A $2 billion transaction placed the virtual reality startup in Mark Zuckerberg’s portfolio. Facebook plans to expand the range of products and technologies under the Oculus brand to augmented reality. As a first move, the company filed for a patent for Oculus augmented reality glasses.

One initial development in this sense is an app for leaving digital notes on the refrigerator, visible only through the phone camera. The app is currently available only to Facebook developers, who are working to develop it further.

2. Sharing on the Go

What if users can actually share what they are seeing without having to move around, phone in hand? Through smart glasses, live Facebook or Periscope shows could take social media sharing to the new level. A complete hands-free sharing scenario would allow vloggers to create engaging online tutorials, and videographers to capture the genuine street spirit, without the sudden change in attitude when people see a phone camera pointing at them.

3. Location-Based Services, Closer Than Ever

This is a not-so-distant future scenario, but lurking around the corner, thanks to augmented reality apps. You walk down the street with a couple of friends and want to pick a restaurant to have lunch. As soon as you stand in front of one, the social media ratings and reviews for that place show in front of your eyes through the smart glass.

You can also leave your own review unobtrusively, as you leave, and it will instantly pop up before the eyes of other potential customers.

4. Never Forget a Name

Isn’t it annoying when you see someone vaguely familiar in the street, but cannot remember their name? It is even worse when they do recognize you and approach you. Soon enough, there may be no more embarrassment in these situations. Augmented reality glasses would take a snapshot of the person, and then augmented reality apps could quickly identify their public social media profile. In a few moments, the face would have a name attached to it.

5. Art Everywhere

What if you could take out your phone or tablet and find out what works of art were inspired by the place where you are right now? This is an ambitious project for a new social media app, dubbed the Instagram of artists.

Photographers, painters, writers and musicians will be able to connect their artwork to the location they used as inspiration, helping more people discover them. The app has the ambition to bring together old and new art, without discrimination, solely based on a specific place.