Dive Brief:

• Warby Parker unveiled a virtual try-on feature that allows mobile smartphone users to view how glasses look on them as they shop through the retailer's mobile app, according to a company Facebook post. 

• The new Virtual Try-On capability was built on Apple's ARKit platform, uses the company's Face ID technology and True Depth camera function, and is currently available for users of the iPhone X or later iPhone models, according to a report from The Verge.

• The new feature arrives several years after Warby Parker and other glasses retailers started offering virtual try-on features on their websites, though these features didn't use AR technology, according to the same report.

Dive Insight:

This is not the first time Warby Parker has used the capabilities of the iPhone X to offer something new. The retailer was among the first to leverage the phone's True Depth capability by developing a means for users to measure their faces for glasses and recommending different pairs. However, the earlier technology didn't go as far as enabling users to virtually try on the product.

Absence of a virtual try-on capability has not necessarily been a big problem for the company. It already offers a home try-on program that allows shoppers to see and test the product at no cost. 

The at-home program gave Warby Parker time to perfect its virtual try-on feature without needing to rush it to market. It also allowed the company to wait for a larger number of consumers to acquire more advanced smartphones. 

Warby Parker likely is hoping its new capability can deliver a more immediate experience for customers to try on its products along with a sales boost. The app may save the retailer time and money associated with the logistics of its at-home try on program, including packaging and mailing costs, while engaging customers via mobile.