A new report from Juniper Research spells out the five key categories of demand that are driving augmented reality (AR) from a fad to real business.

Beyond Pokemon Go, AR demand is erupting and Lenovo soon will introduce the first AR phone equipped with Google Tango technology.

Here are the AR content categories with the most potential, according to Juniper:

  • Games

There will, of course, be some cross-over between the games and entertainment categories, so Juniper defines a game AR app as: an experience that has set goals which are reached through interaction.

  • Search & Discovery

This category includes all consumer applications which can provide infotainment pertinent to, and derived from, the user’s location, including general search, travel, navigation, weather and news. In our Apps & Apps Stores report, location-based search, navigation and travel apps were considered part of the Lifestyle & Healthcare category.

  • Social Networking

This category includes all social networking apps downloaded to the device, of which there are currently a limited amount of iterations on the market. Juniper notes that these apps have the potential to become extremely widely used, as Facebook has managed with its non-AR app. Juniper believes those companies that already have large user bases would benefit the most from the introduction of AR content into their current offerings.

  • Multimedia & Entertainment

This category includes all applications which facilitate streamed media playing on the handset, including radio and TV players, and those which could be described as ‘general entertainment’, ranging from virtual musical instruments (drum kits, guitars, keyboards) to interactive screensavers.

  • Mobile Device Enterprises

The implementation of AR in the enterprise space will be driven by cost and time savings, rather than motivated by direct revenue for the end user. By creating these services for their customers, companies are able to add value to an existing service and enhance the user experience rather than create an entirely new service.