PTC Rolls Out Vuforia Engine 11 with On-Premises Support a Focus, Showing Data Security and Integration Remain Pertinent Enterprise XR Challenges

PTC’s Vuforia platform has been a steadfast name in the Extended Reality (XR) space for years, starting as a developer-focused Software Development Kit (SDK) for machine vision under Qualcomm’s portfolio, expanding with PTC’s ownership to a more comprehensive platform offering in the enterprise XR segment. Vuforia Engine is the developer-focused side of Vuforia as the SDK for the broader Vuforia offering. Recently, PTC rolled out a version upgrade to Vuforia Engine, bringing a handful of improvements to tracking capabilities, but perhaps more importantly, an expansion of on-premises capabilities through a new enterprise access plan. State-based model targets, allowing for object tracking across changing states (e.g., allowing for adding a component that changes the shape of the tracked device without breaking tracking) is generally available. Cloud area targets is also part of the update, allowing for cloud storage and streaming of area target data used for tracking. On-premises improvements focus on local creation and processing of advanced model targets and step checks.

PTC has been a proponent of XR for years, though it has slowed in its focus on it over the past few years in line with stagnation in the market. Vuforia remains a leader in the enterprise XR domain though, with a unique advantage through having both the SDK and value-add features on top in-house. Competitors like Dassault Systèmes and Siemens are putting some effort into XR as well, primarily through digital twin overlap with XR. Either way, the enterprise XR market remains at a crossroads—there is clear value in immersive solutions, though valid concerns continue to slow adoption.

The updates to Vuforia will be well received and valuable, though the broader enterprise XR market still presents difficulties that no single platform update can alleviate. There are a handful of common challenges that customers cite and operators are working to lessen:

• Data Security: Increasingly top of mind in the enterprise domain today. XR devices have a nearly intrinsic need for cameras. Whether for device tracking, spatial awareness, mixed reality content, or point of view video support, most XR use cases necessitate a camera. Even those that do not require a camera—such as simpler step-by-step instructions or audio-only guidance on a pair of smart glasses—almost always require a connection to a network to function. Any connected device will need robust device management capabilities to ensure data security, and XR exacerbates this with its unique feature set and usage scenarios. Vuforia 11 has a focus on on-premises deployment support, with data security concerns likely a leading reason for this.
• Integration Difficulties: Depending on the complexity of an XR solution, integrating it with existing devices, workflows, and infrastructure can prove a challenge. Ideally, XR devices both capture data and use data for their applications in a two-way data flow relationship. For this to work, though, requires a level of integration not common with other technologies.
• Cost: XR device costs are improving quickly, but are still high. Perhaps more impactfully, the device costs are not necessarily significant on paper—leading Virtual Reality (VR) headsets can be had for US$300—but these are purpose-built devices. Compared to workstations and tablets, which cost more, but are multi-use, the intrinsic potential value of an XR device has to, therefore, be completely clear and higher than just the upfront cost may indicate. On top of hardware, platform costs to support that hardware and XR use cases are present.

The culmination of these three makes it difficult to convince customers of the value of XR. Even as one facet improves, the others can remain. For example, integration and deployment difficulties have lessened across the board over the past 5 years, thanks to a concerted effort from most platform operators to support more devices, Operating Systems (OSs), related devices, content types, etc.

PTC is far from alone in facing these challenges, though the company and its competitors are addressing the challenges in different ways. PTC has recently focused more on its PLM product Windchill, positioning XR and Vuforia as a supporter of this and the broader digital thread idea (end-to-end digitalization, from creation to post-sales support and service) the company is marketing. Dassault Systèmes is focusing on what it calls Virtual Twins, a more encompassing view of the digital twin ecosystem bringing in simulation, data analytics, and lifecycle management solutions. Siemens has been trying to grow the creation side of engineering with XR, uncommon in most approaches thus far—companies have favored post-creation XR use cases like review and workflow training, while maintaining traditional creation methods like Computer-Aided Design (CAD).

Customers are still likely to be hesitant around XR cost; this comes from both high hardware costs outside the control of platform vendors, as well as the relatively novel and hands-on requirements an XR platform can present. For instance: CAD is a requirement for these companies, XR is not, so even as device costs come down, the value proposition is more difficult to prove, despite some objective quantitative proof of XR value evident in case studies.

With there are still challenges to adopting and implementing XR, these challenges at least are clear and understandable, rather than nebulous. This means they are actionable:

• Emphasize Flexibility Around Devices: This includes both XR devices and other device types like smartphones, tablets, wearables, and workstations. With the XR hardware market in flux, customers will be rightfully hesitant to lock into any single device or platform. Even enterprise incumbents, like Microsoft, have proven to be less than long term for XR. Having baked-in flexibility to support any device and product category will help ease some of the initial adoption concerns.
• Leverage XR Data to Prove Upfront and Ongoing Value: One of the most common barriers to XR adoption is hesitance and confusion around the value of XR specific to one company/vertical/process/etc. It is this specificity that holds back adoption primarily, as there are ample case study examples around potential XR value, but companies are doubtful or hesitant to believe it will directly translate to their circumstances. XR devices have the potential to be invaluable sources of data to prove that value. Some platforms are productizing this already—like scanning of objects and environments for digital twin purposes—but there is a wealth of data outside of scans that can be used. Individual user-level data can spawn from process validation, training and remote expertise sessions, and streamlined data logging. With even a small sample size of a few devices/users, both low-level and high-level insights can be gleaned.
• Understand How the Value of XR Use Cases Are Shifting and Tailor Them More to Customers: Training and remote assistance are still valuable, though general. With customers demanding greater proof of value before scaling investment, the demand for tailored, data-backed use cases grows. This tailoring should consider the most pressing pressures on a company, both internal and external, and combine them with those more generally understood applications. For instance, worker instruction shifts to work instruction in high complexity and high regulation environments—the basic value of worker instruction remains, but an emphasis on solving specific pressures presents greater value.
• Highlight Security and Privacy Strengths: This comes from robust on-premises support for customers who want it and can support it, but also from well-established security documentation, regulation compliance, and security-strong partners (e.g., hyperscalers and device vendors). Having professional services available to assist in content development, platform deployment, and user training can doubly help with both ensuring security through proper development and following protocol from the onset, while also lessening some of the implementation difficulties and quickening time to value.