The year 2021 was one in which the development of AR gained momentum as a solution to the increased consumer desires for contactless commerce stemming from the global pandemic. The technology also offers companies avenues to align with the Digitally Trained Consumers’ desire for convenience, speed, access to information and novelty, which means that this new way of operating will keep its momentum going after the pandemic has passed. As the year progressed, further new developments by tech companies opened up developers’ platforms for use by outside AR software developers, thereby clearing the way to create new AR products. Meanwhile, several of the tech companies focused on augmented reality are on the verge of introducing new hardware products, such as smart glasses, which can bring expanded experiences to users bridging the physical and digital spheres. When the new AR software and hardware developments are introduced, the result may push the metaverse closer to “reality.”