Samsung is celebrating National Sunglasses Day by allowing you to try on a variety of sunglasses using the augmented reality (AR) capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy S10 range.
With summer in full swing, it’s important to sling on some sunglasses to protect your precious corneas. With June 27 apparently being National Sunglasses Day, Samsung has taken the opportunity to partner with luxury sunglasses brands like Ray Bans, Oakley, Persol, and more to provide you with the absolute easiest — and most technologically advanced — way to try on a new pair of sunglasses.
To try out the new mode, you’ll need a smartphone from the Samsung Galaxy S10 range — so the Galaxy S10, Galaxy S10 Plus, or Galaxy S10e — and you’ll also need to have the latest version of Bixby Vision installed. To ensure you have the latest version of Bixby Vision, head to your camera app and tap the Bixby Vision test in the top-left corner. The software will then prompt you to update if one is required.
Once updated, head back to your camera app, swap to the front-facing camera, and tap Bixby Vision again. From there, scroll to to the bottom, tap Apps > Styling, and you’ll find your sunglasses. Tap a pair and you’ll be able to try them on in virtual space, with the magic of AR giving you the ability to see them from multiple angles, and even change their color on the fly. If you really dig your look in a certain pair of sunglasses, then you can easily buy yourself a pair by using the purchase link offered by Bixby Vision.
It’s a bizarre way of shopping, but it could be one we have to get used to. AR technology is starting to appear in every aspect of our lives, from Google’s fun Playground to apps that allow you to see how furniture fits into your house before you buy it. If you’re not able to go to a shop to try on sunglasses or clothes in person, is shopping like this likely to become a part of our future? Who knows? For now, enjoy putting on expensive sunglasses and playing around with the rest of our favorite AR apps for Android and iOS.