Research and analysis firm SuperData has released its newest report on immersive technology, including virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR) and augmented reality (AR). The report concentrates on revenue and projections for this sector, with the aim of providing insight into hardware and software sales.
The report indicates that SuperData is confident that the release of the Oculus Quest stand-alone VR system will prove to be a turning point in the immersive technology space. The report contains a prediction that the Oculus Quest will outsell the Oculus Rift by more than 3 to 1 in its launch year.
It is estimated that more than one million units of the Oculus Quest will be shipped next year, which the report says has potential to bring VR into the mainstream. It is expected that Oculus Quest and Oculus Go sales will drive VR revenue to more than double, with combined sales projected to reach nearly 2.5 million units worldwide in 2019.
Two other major developments in the immersive media space is the huge growth in AR and location-based VR entertainment. Mobile AR revenue is set to double year-on-year according to the report, estimated to reach $2 Billion (USD) by the end of 2018. By 2021, mobile AR will generate more revenue than VR software for the first time, surpassing $17 Billion.
“SuperData’s latest research and analysis points to the fact that 2019 will be the year of VR,” explained Stephanie Llamas, Head of XR at SuperData. “Previous iterations of our findings have tracked the market as it has gained momentum and we believe the launch of Oculus Quest will be a major force in pushing it over the tipping point into the mainstream.”
SuperData also finds that the user base for AR is also growing, with ARKit and ARCore consumers now reaching a combined 117 million each month. Further information can be found on the SuperData website.
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