Augmented reality has emerged from the shadows in the past six months as fun consumer applications move beyond dedicated Webcam software and academic experiments. The widespread availability of applications for mobile handsets has driven augmented reality applications into the mainstream — popular iPhone applications such as the Layar Reality Browser and the New York Nearest Subway app have set this space alight. But this is only the beginning: As costs plummet and the reachable audience increases, consumer product strategy professionals need to evaluate how augmented reality may fit into their consumer strategy.