Layar Content Store Gives Virtual Reality in Exchange for Real Cash

Layar Reality Browser, one of the most popular augmented reality apps on Android and iPhone, went live with its own content store for paid augmented user experiences yesterday. The 1.6 million users of Layar from around the globe can now pony up their hard-earned cash to unlock content for use in the application. Layar will support multiple payment options and currencies, with the first being PayPal for use in the US, UK, Canada and Australia.

Much of what you can purchase in the content store will turn your phone into a virtual tour guide for select areas. A few examples of companies currently deploying the pay-for-content model in Layar:

• Berlitz City Guides: Berlitz helps people experience the city’s highlights: the best attractions, coziest restaurants, most comfortable hotels, coolest places to shop and most fashionable nightlife.
• Mouse Reality for Disney World and Disneyland: Helps find and navigate all attractions, shows, shops, dinning, transportation, and more in Disneyland and Disney World.
• EyeTour: Explore Puerto Rico’s natural beauty and rich cultural heritage through exclusive video content of historical sites, museums, restaurants, parks and more.
• UK sold prices: ‘Sold House Price Data 2010′ – Check the latest UK residential Sold Price information as recorded by the Land Registry while on the move.

Many more payment options and locations should be added in the future, and developers can get started on using paid content immediately with little hassle and no cost. Profits from sales are split 60/40, with the developer getting the majority of the share.

Layar users currently residing in one of the countries mentioned earlier who want access to the new content store only need to download the latest version of the Layar augmented reality browser. For now, iPhone users will have to wait  a bit longer, as the store is only currently available on Android.

[via Layar Blog]