According to a recent study by Frank N. Magid Associates,consumers are much happier with the VR user experience than expected. A survey of 1,000 internet users aged 18-64 showed that a large majority of those who had purchased VR devices thought the experience was better than expected.
VR Tipping Point
Global sales of desktop VR hardware are expected to exceed $4Bn this year and further expected to grow to $21Bn by 2020. This, combined with the data from the Magid survey is a very positive indicator for mass adoption. It seems the VR tipping point is upon us.
Further indicators of a tipping point can be found in consumer data collected in 2016. The Gamer Network survey showed that only a small percentage of consumers were interested in purchasing a VR headset.
Developer Tipping Point
The tipping point is also evident in the world of development. At its F8 developer conference, Facebook announced a new Javascript library for building VR applications. Expanding on its existing React framework, Facebook says the new “React VR” library is a “great starting point” for a VR framework for the web. What that means in non-technical terms is that it is now easier than ever to develop VR applications.
The Impact On Events
As predicted in our trends report, 2017 is already shaping up to be a great year for VR in events. That trend will, of course, continue as adoption increases. Being able to offer a much more immersive experience to a much larger remote audience will be good news for event organizers, remote viewers/attendees, and sponsors alike.
In Conclusion
Booming sales and happy customers mean that the future of virtual reality is bright and more than living up to the decades of hype. With mass adoption just around the corner, the opportunities for events are now being realized.
Welcome to the tipping point. We hope you enjoy your journey, whether real or virtual.
