Fewer VR headsets were sold in 2022 than expected. Still, IDC sees strong growth in the technology through 2027.
According to research firm IDC, 2022 was not a successful year. A total of 8.9 million VR headsets were sold last year, significantly fewer than the agency originally expected. In 2023, the market is expected to grow by 14 percent to 10.1 million VR glasses sold.
Still, 2023 remains a challenging year for VR and AR. The technology has yet to recover from an explosion in popularity in 2020 and 2021 as many people sought new ways of entertainment during the lockdown. 2022 was a sharp decline and 2023 will not see strong growth either, according to IDC.
On the other hand, Apple is about to enter the market and new devices are expected from Meta and Pico according to IDC. “The new glasses are expected at the end of 2023. These will provide VR in 2024. In terms of AR glasses, we see consumer brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and TCL heavily focusing on this market over the next 6 to 18 months.”
Against this background, IDC estimates that the number of headsets (AR and VR) sold will increase to 25 million units by 2026. The majority will still be VR glasses, but AR glasses should increasingly eat up market share.
Source: IT Daily
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