Airbnb wants to offer VR previews so you can see rental spots better

Image: Supplied by Airbnb

Image: Supplied by Airbnb

Published Dec 13, 2017

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CAPE TOWN - Airbnb announced on their blog that they will be developing virtual and augmented reality features to help guests find and navigate rental listings.

Virtual tours have been around in the real estate industry for a while, and Airbnb hosts have been asking for a feature to integrate them into their own listings. 

Three-dimensional scans and 360-degree photos would allow users to get a better sense of a listing, and augmented reality overlays could help guests better understand the homes on a smaller scale once they’re in it. 

The company has been looking into VR to build trust between guests and hosts since last year, and this announcement confirming experiments and prototypes suggest that the feature is coming soon.  

Airbnb also lists a few instances where augmented reality might be helpful during your trip.

For instance, If you’re staying overseas and everything’s in a foreign language, it could be difficult to unlock the door or figure out the thermostat or the hot water in the shower. 

While the VR technologies could be implemented by providing Airbnb hosts with 360-degree cameras, it might be harder to integrate the AR concept for individual listings.

- BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE

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