Startling news: Users find sticking a smartphone over their eyes a bit rubbish
Wearable watchers, CCS Insight, had good news and bad news for the virtual and augmented reality industry today. Sales are tanking but look! New hardware!
The report underlines just how much the industry has been driven by users of smartphone-based VR, which peaked at 8 million units in 2017 before plummeting to just 3 million in 2018. The net result is the total VR shipments in 2018 will actually end up less than 2017.
Smartphone-based VR, which has its roots in basic cardboard-style viewers into which a user slotted their phone, includes the likes of Samsung’s Gear VR. Users have initially been curious about these devices before emitting a global “meh” when presented with the things, even after deep discounting.
Hence the precipitous drop in unit shipments.
Tethered VR headsets, such as the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive and Sony’s PS VR have faired better, assisted no doubt by some hefty price cuts. Sony’s product can be picked up for under £200, a good deal less than the £349 launch price, and remains the market leader.
