Virtual reality sales are projected to grow despite the economic cloud.

Market analysts see strong demand for virtual and augmented reality technologies through 2026 despite a short-term recession.

Sales of augmented and virtual reality products are expected to grow six-fold from 14 million units this year to 88 million units in 2026. The analyst firm’s CCS Insights forecast suggests that Apple may be preparing to begin entering the space early next year. Year.

Metaverse products, also known as augmented reality or XR, which refers to immersive experiences using specialized hardware, have seen an influx of interest since Facebook’s parent company Meta renamed itself after the concept in 2021. and some see this technology as the future of the Internet.

CCS says its augmented reality (AR) products due to launch next year will revitalize the consumer AR segment, while more immersive VR headsets such as Meta’s Quest will continue to sell well.

PlayStation VR2

According to CCS, this year’s projected 14.3 million AR/VR units are down year-on-year, as AR/VR devices continue to top the wish lists of technology fans and early adopters despite macroeconomic challenges. will increase by 30%.

2022 figures are lower than previous projections as many people are “rethinking their budgets,” said senior CCS analyst James Manning-Smith.

VR headsets are expected to account for 93% of device shipments, and Meta’s Quest 2 is the leader among standalone headsets.

Sony is now expected to delay the launch of its second-generation PlayStation VR headset until next year, and is expected to see a 76% increase in sales of VR devices that tether to PCs or consoles in 2023.

Enterprise XR

AR device shipments are expected to grow by more than 100% this year and triple next year as new smart glasses arrive in late 2022 and into 2023, said Manning-Smith.

CCS expects enterprise VR and AR devices to reach 2.6 million units this year, growing at an annual rate of 30%.

“The changing nature of work during the pandemic has pushed companies to test the deployment of immersive technologies for a variety of new applications,” Manning-Smith said, adding that the technology “has taken hold.” I was.

The company sees standalone VR headsets remaining the leader through 2026, with AR smart glasses “picking up the pace.”

apple headset

TF International Securities Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in a research note last week that he expects Apple to release its long-awaited AR/VR headset in January 2023. It’s the most complex product we’ve ever designed,” and said the release could boost the “rapid growth” of the standalone VR headset market.

Headsets are expected to offer a combination of VR and AR capabilities.

Bloomberg reported Monday that the device could use Apple’s new M2 chip, which powers the MacBook Pro laptop announced earlier this month.

investment

According to the news outlet, the device could include 16GB of RAM, which is the same as the mid-range MacBook Pro 13-inch 2022, which comes in 8GB, 16GB, and 24GB RAM variants.

Kuo added that he expects Meta to cut short-term investment in VR hardware as it focuses on its advertising business.

Chinese tech giant Tencent unveiled its AR/VR unit on Monday, saying it plans to manufacture both hardware and software, in line with efforts from Meta and Apple.