virtual

Microsoft is betting on Augmented Reality (AR) while Google and Facebook are betting on Virtual Reality (VR). . VR is suitable for gaming and entertainment while AR is more suited for industrial and educational applications. There could be exceptions like Pokemon Go, an AR game, which became more popular than any VR game/app. However since VR is now adapted to smartphones and there are thousands of VR apps, in the short to medium term, VR has an upper hand.
In the long term, VR and AR could merge as pointed out by Satya Nadella.
Augmented reality (AR) is not a new phenomenon for geeks, but certainly a novel experience for the masses as they are now witnessing the technologies moving from tactical to practical application. The very application of augmented reality technology is an enriching experience and very soon we will witness people walking around in malls, on roads and in factories wearing VR headsets.
The landscape has been radically altered with Pokemon Go, and its acceptability across the young population has expedited the oncoming wave of e-transformation. The integration of virtual reality with brick and mortar businesses is now nearing fulfilment.
Digital business, or rather marketing, would now have a new meaning and we will certainly see many new phraseologies being deployed by marketers. Augmented reality, currently being deployed in gaming, will bring in new marketing formats, starting with the retail industry and then moving into other sectors in the B2C domain. The core reason for this is generic formats that can be tweaked a little to suit each and every player.
It will take some time for the technology to reach the B2B domains as deployments of tailored solutions are developed.
E-commerce and m-commerce will now witness a radical change in thought and actionables, and, in one years of time, we will see online retailers deploying e-tools enabled with augmented reality features.