Viewing Experience of Augmented Reality Objects as Ambient Media - A Comparison of Multimedia Devices

Augmented reality objects as ambient media (i.e., media embedded in everyday contexts) are being deployed in diverse contexts, such as home, mobile, and work. Because media experience is mediated by the medium, the viewing experience of augmented reality objects should depend on the type of viewing device. In this paper, we report on a user study with 18 participants and three state-of-the-art devices (i.e., HoloLens, iPad Pro tablet, and iPhone X smartphone), comparing the influence of these mobile viewing devices on feelings of presence and workload during ambient media consumption. Study results include a significant main effect of device on participants ratings of Possibility to examine an AR object, which demonstrates that ambient media consumption experiences are determined by the choice of viewing device.