Immersive Virtual Reality Market Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Top Players

Tech Innovation

Feb 14, 2020

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The global immersive virtual reality market is expected to reach USD 1.88 billion by 2020, according to a new study by Grand View Research, Inc. The industry is expected to witness profound growth over the next five years, as more consumer devices hit the market. Immersive VR headsets came into prominence during 2013 with the arrival of the Oculus Rift Developer Kit. The device is widely credited with giving the consumer VR space a kick start and creating anticipation & hype among consumers. Over the past two years, the industry has witnessed arrival of several consumer version VR headsets such as the VRTX One, Durovis Dive, Homido, and the low-cost Google Cardboard, thereby popularizing the technology.

Presently, immersive VR headsets are only partly commercialized and several consumer versions are anticipated to be launched in 2015–2016, including the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Sony PlayStation VR, and FOVE. GTDs and other motion tracking peripherals have also gained significant acceptance as an accessory to the HMD. Virtual reality PDWs have evolved in technology and resolution. Development and provision of CAVE systems and VR rooms for consumers are expected to boost demand for PDWs.

Technological development triggers a plethora of VR solutions with varied capabilities that allow users to experience utmost immersion. Making the VR experience more real serves as a key driver towards market penetration and adoption. Most of the available solutions are limited to head tracking leaving tremendous opportunities for the development of new technologies that increase the user’s sense of immersion and presence.

VR devices may pose inconvenience to certain users owing to their ergonomics and weight. Bulky devices offer render users with a sense of fatigue and discomfort after prolonged use. Simulation sickness is one of the greatest hurdles to be overcome, while designing VR experiences. Key stakeholders have been focusing on the issue aggressively and tackling it with extreme precision, keeping sensitivity and user comfort at priority.

Further key findings from the study suggest:

Fully immersive technologies are expected to be the largest and fastest growing technology segment over the forecast period owing to growing popularity of wearable devices among consumers. The segment accounted for over 75% of the revenue in 2014.
HMDs dominate the global immersive VR market share. Mobile VR headsets make use of smartphones for the screen, for example, Google Cardboard, whereas integrated HMDs have inbuilt screens, for example, Oculus Rift. The segment accounted for over 60% of the revenue in 2014.
Demand in retail and medical sectors is expected to witness exponential growth over the next five years. Consumer electronics application accounted for the largest share of 45% in 2014, and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period.
North America immersive virtual reality market accounted for about 50% of the overall share in 2014 owing to the presence of key vendors in the region coupled with a myriad of technology giants. Affordability and availability of consumer VR continue to drive growth across regions.
Several start-ups and individuals with technological expertise have raised funds through Kickstarter and promoted their solutions through online campaigns. Consumer electronics manufacturers such as Sony, HTC, and Samsung, and technology giants such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have also ushered into the market with VR solutions.