Ikea assembles HTC Vive virtual reality app to help consumers realise their ideal kitchen
Ikea has embraced virtual reality to help put consumers in their ideal kitchen in the hope that it will enhance the interactivity of their service and catalyse purchases.
The pilot app, Ikea VR Experience, has been launched on Steam’s HTC Vive, looking to “empower customers” by allowing them to fully customise three styled kitchens, and to view the from different perspectives.
By bringing its kitchens to life, Ikea hopes it will bridge design gaps and help shoppers arrange their ideal room.
Jesper Brodin, managing director at Ikea, said: “Virtual reality is developing quickly and in five to ten years it will be an integrated part of people’s lives.
“We see that virtual reality will play a major role in the future of our customers. For instance, someday, it could be used to enable customers to try out a variety of home furnishing solutions before buying them.”
The app was made in collaboration with developers at the French company Allegorithmic, powered by Unreal Engine 4 from Epic Games.