The AR/VR market is abuzz with the announcement of several products at last week’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While XR technologies are still in the early stages, hardware vendors are pushing for mainstream acceptance by businesses and consumers. At CES, new mixed-reality headsets, smartglasses, and a Qualcomm processor were unveiled, promising to power a new generation of hardware later this year.
According to Gartner’s director analyst, Tuong Nguyen, these announcements will help spur market growth and innovation, leading to a comprehensive ecosystem and increased adoption. After a backlash against the metaverse and related technologies, the mood has shifted, with Apple’s Vision Pro, Meta’s Quest 3 headset, and Ray-Ban smartglasses reigniting public interest in virtual- and mixed-reality devices.
Despite a tough 2023 for the market, IDC analysts predict a sales rebound in 2024, with a 46% increase compared to last year. However, mainstream adoption is still far off, with low single-digit percentage adoption for VR and AR headsets. Addressing hardware limitations is just one part of the puzzle; the underlying ecosystem of content, services, and applications is also a challenge for progress.
Apple’s Vision Pro, with a $3,499 price tag, is not aimed at the mass audience, but its validation of the market is expected to usher in competitors and other critical providers to the ecosystem. The device is set to be released in the US, with plans for other countries later in the year.
2024-01-19 10:00:05
Source from www.computerworld.com
