Through the addition of graphics, sounds, haptic feedback, or even smell to the natural world as it exists, AR can combine real life with a super-imposed image or animation using the camera on a mobile device or AR headset.

An important segment of the market is mobile AR, taking advantage of the vast number of smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices the global population owns or has access to. In 2022, the number of potential mobile AR user devices was expected to surpass one billion. Growth is expected in both the enterprise and consumer segments, including digital AR experiences. One of the most well-known examples of this is Pokémon Go, the location-based AR mobile game, with its in-app purchases accounting for a sizeable proportion of consumer mobile AR spending.