Samsung launched its Gear VR mobile headset way back in 2015 and during that time the head-mounted display (HMD) has seen sales success, but business information provider IHS Markit forecasts these sales are going to slow while main rival Google Daydream are set in increase.
According to the company Google Daydream are expected to jump from 120,000 in 2016 to 2.23 million in 2017, and this will see increased support from third-party developers and smartphone manufacturers. The Samsung Gear VR on the other hand is expected to see sales dip by 9.6 percent, dropping from 4.56 million to 4.12 million. Even with a reduction Gear VR will still be the market leader for mobile VR.
Over the course of 2016, Samsung aggressively used the Gear VR headset as a powerful marketing tool to promote sales of its Galaxy S7 smartphone, implementing pre-order bundling strategies across many sales territories. The company has taken that methodology and gone for a more targeted approach during 2017, retaining the offer for the launch of the Galaxy S8 in USA and Australia, but dropping it in a number of European territories.
“The arrival of competing platforms is playing out against a backdrop where Samsung has dialed down its previously aggressive pre-order bundling centered on its flagship smartphones and the Gear VR,” said IHS Markit’s Harding-Rolls.
Samsung also noted the competition from Google Cardboard by recently launching its own 3DoF controller back in April, which can be bought separately or in a bundle.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of the VR industry, reporting back with the latest growth estimations.