Matrix effects, routes on your specs: what next for augmented reality?

Analysts expect 71m VR and AR devices will be sold in 2025, and a new ecosystem of apps is coming

Trying on clothes without stepping into a changing room, seeing your menu choices in 3D, viewing an art gallery's contents outdoors and, of course, catching a Pokemon. This is the world of augmented reality, and one of its key players announced further additions last week.

The owner of Snapchat, the app that offers those quirky animal-face selfies, will give developers the ability to transform any local landscape or building. A user could scan Big Ben so it can be turned into a wobbly landmark when seen through a phone, or even put the Matrix in their living room.