How do you prioritize performance over quality in AR applications?

1 Why performance matters

Performance is crucial for AR applications because it affects the user's perception of the AR content and the real environment. Poor performance can cause lag, stuttering, freezing, or crashing, which can disrupt the illusion of AR and frustrate the user. Moreover, poor performance can also drain the battery, overheat the device, or consume more bandwidth, which can limit the usage time and accessibility of the application. Therefore, performance should be the primary goal of any AR developer, and quality should be adjusted according to the device's capabilities and the user's expectations.

2 How to measure performance

To prioritize performance, you need to measure it and identify any bottlenecks or issues that affect it. There are several tools and metrics that can help you monitor and optimize the performance of your AR application, such as Frames per Second (FPS), CPU and GPU usage, memory usage, and network usage. FPS is the number of times the screen is updated per second, so a higher FPS means a smoother display – aim for at least 30 FPS, but ideally 60 FPS or more. CPU and GPU usage indicate the percentage of processing power used by the application; try to keep this below 70% for optimal performance. Memory usage is how much RAM is used by the application; try to keep it as low as possible and free up any unused memory regularly. Network usage is the amount of data transferred between the application and the server or cloud; minimize this where possible and use caching or offline modes.

3 How to optimize performance

Optimizing performance in an AR application requires applying best practices and techniques that reduce the workload and improve efficiency. For example, you can use low-poly models and textures, which have fewer polygons and pixels, meaning less data to process and render. Tools like Blender or Photoshop can be used to create or edit low-poly models and textures, or online libraries like Sketchfab or Poly can provide ready-made ones. Additionally, occlusion culling and frustum culling can hide or remove objects that are not visible to the user, leading to less objects to draw and update. Tools like Unity or Unreal Engine can be used to implement these methods, or plugins like AR Foundation or ARCore can enable them automatically. Asset bundles and compression are also ways to package and shrink the size of your assets, resulting in less data to load and store. Tools like Unity or Unreal Engine can create and manage asset bundles and compression, while services like Firebase or AWS can host and deliver them. Finally, profiling and debugging tools can help analyze and fix performance issues and errors in your AR application. Xcode or Android Studio are useful for profiling and debugging, while platforms like Vuforia or ARKit provide built-in tools.

4 How to balance quality and performance

To balance quality and performance in AR development, you need to consider the trade-offs and compromises that come with it, and make informed decisions based on your goals and constraints. When making these decisions, some factors to consider are the target device, user context, and user feedback. The target device should be taken into account when designing and testing the application, as different devices have different specifications and limitations. Additionally, the user context should be taken into account when adapting and optimizing the application according to conditions and expectations. Finally, user feedback should be monitored and evaluated for indicators and suggestions that can help improve or modify features or assets. By considering these factors, you can ensure a balanced quality and performance in your AR application.

5 How to test and iterate performance

To test and iterate performance, you need to have a way to measure and compare the results and outcomes of your AR application, and make changes and improvements accordingly. Benchmarking is the process of measuring and comparing the performance of your AR application against a standard or a competitor. You can use tools like Geekbench or 3DMark to benchmark your AR application, or use platforms like App Store or Google Play to see how your app ranks or reviews. Additionally, A/B testing can help you test and compare the performance of two or more versions of your AR application, such as with different features, assets, or settings. Tools like Firebase or Optimizely can be used for A/B testing, while platforms like TestFlight or Beta Testing can be used to distribute and collect feedback from testers. Finally, analytics is the process of collecting and analyzing the data and metrics that are generated by your AR application. You can use tools like Google Analytics or Flurry to track and report analytics, or use platforms like Firebase or AWS to store and process data.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?