Competition Highlights Future Retail Use Cases for 5G XR

Emerging technologies that will help retailers serve customers inside and outside the physical store are being highlighted in a worldwide competition hosted by T-Mobile U.S. and T-Labs, the research and development unit of Deutsche Telekom.

Dubbed the “T-Challenge,” the contest invites entries that aim to transform the retail industry by deploying 5G-powered extended reality (XR) technology.

“Retail is an area that’s ripe for disruption and we see tremendous opportunity to engage consumers in new ways,” Neville Ray, president of technology at T-Mobile U.S., said in a statement announcing the launch of the competition in October.

Read more: Worldwide Competition Seeks 5G XR Solutions for Retail

When the two companies announced the 20 finalists in the competition Wednesday (April 6), some themes for future uses cases emerged.

Extending Retail Showrooms into the Virtual World

To extend the retail showroom into the virtual world, Room is developing mixed reality (MR) spaces that can be used for service, sales, collaboration, training and support. Arilyn Oy is working on a virtual showroom that will create an immersive experience to help consumers better understand IoT products and smart home solutions. MetaVRse invites retailers to join its Mall of the Metaverse to build their brand and shopping experiences. Mazing GmbH creates an AR experience on smartphones that enables customers to turn their home into a retail showroom.

To enhance retailers’ remote customer support, SightCall offers self-service solutions that employ augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI). DeepBrain AI creates human-like AI avatars that can speak with customers. TechSee blends augmented reality (AR) and AI to provide customers with answers during and after the sale. Tawny.ai offers emotion recognition technology that enhances digital interactions with customers. shift89 offers an app focused on using AR to guide customers through the selection and installation of Wi-Fi hardware.

Complementing In-Store Shopping

To complement in-store shopping, Graffiti allows consumers to point their smartphone at a product to access the sort of information they’d find while shopping online. Animatico offers interactive avatars for in-store displays that will educate and support customers. Doob helps retailers engage in-store shoppers by letting consumers create an avatar of themselves and use it in interactive games. Golem Digital creates an additional service counter by enabling video calls between customers at busy stores and staff at idle stores. Volume Ltd. makes a no-touch interactive surface that allows customers to explore a virtual catalog while in a physical store. Code University is creating a competition for artists who make custom XR installations that can be displayed in physical stores.

To support omnichannel shopping, 2Cimple builds a hybrid XR environment that can engage customers both at home and in the physical store. VRdirect makes a VR concept that combines the personal experience of a physical store with the convenience of an online store. YONA offers AR solutions that range from providing service in the store to interactive manuals on products and packaging. CALLSTR creates a store consultant in an AR environment that customers can access from anywhere. Visionaries 777 creates AR-ready digital twins that help customers navigate stores in person or in the metaverse.

In the next phase of the competition, these 20 finalists will continue to refine their solutions and then present them to the judges in June. Six winners will then split $500,000 in prize money and have their solutions featured in T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom stores in the U.S. and Europe.