AR/VR Market Grows with New Product Announcements at CES
The augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR) market is buzzing with excitement as several new products were announced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While adoption of AR/VR technologies is still in its early stages, hardware vendors are pushing for mainstream acceptance among businesses and consumers. The unveiling of new mixed-reality headsets, smart glasses, and a Qualcomm processor at CES is a significant step towards achieving this goal.
According to Gartner analyst Tuong Nguyen, these announcements will help spur market growth and innovation, leading to the creation of a comprehensive ecosystem that will drive industry evolution and increase adoption rates. The AR/VR market faced challenges in 2023, with device shipments declining by 8.3%. However, IDC analysts predict a sales rebound of 46% in 2024, indicating a positive outlook for the industry.
Apple Sets Release Date for Vision Pro, Ignites Industry Interest
One of the most significant announcements in recent months is Apple’s Vision Pro, which is set to be released this year. With a price tag of $3,499, the Vision Pro is not aimed at the mass market, but rather at business customers. Despite its high cost, analysts predict that Apple will quickly sell out of its initial run of approximately 60,000 to 80,000 devices. The arrival of Apple in the AR/VR market has generated hype and will likely spark interest in spatial computing and mixed reality technology among consumers.
Avi Greengart, President and Lead Analyst at Techsponential, believes that Apple’s entry into the market has catalyzed competition and motivated other companies to develop comparable products or explore different development paths to avoid direct competition with Apple. This surge in competition will drive innovation and enhance the overall AR/VR ecosystem.
Sony Unveils Mixed-Reality Device and Partners with Siemens
Sony, known for its focus on gaming in the VR space, has announced plans to target business users with a new mixed-reality device designed for 3D content creation and collaboration. The standalone headset features a 4K OLED display and video passthrough capabilities similar to Apple’s Vision Pro and Meta’s Quest 3. Sony’s device also includes two controllers for interacting with 3D objects in virtual environments.
The device, expected to launch later this year, will be sold as a package with Siemens NX Immersive Designer software. This partnership aims to provide professionals in fields such as entertainment and engineering with a comprehensive solution for 3D content creation and collaboration.
Qualcomm’s New XR Chip Points to Samsung’s Upcoming Headset
Qualcomm’s latest chipset, the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, was officially unveiled before CES. This processor is designed to power the next generation of virtual and mixed-reality headsets, offering improvements in display resolution, camera support, and latency. The Sony mixed-reality device announced at CES will utilize this new Qualcomm chipset.
Additionally, the announcement of Samsung’s collaboration with Qualcomm suggests that a powerful standalone headset is in development. The timing of the launch remains unknown, but industry experts speculate that late 2024 is a likely window. The use of the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chip in Samsung’s headset indicates that it will deliver high performance and be a considerable competitor in the AR/VR market.
Augmented-Reality Smartglasses Take Center Stage at CES
CES showcased several augmented-reality smart glasses, including Xreal’s Air 2 Ultra and TCL’s RayNeo X2 Lite. Xreal’s Air 2 Ultra glasses, priced at $699, target developers and consumers alike and will be available in March. These glasses offer a lightweight and comfortable alternative to traditional headsets, allowing users to view digital objects overlaid on the real world.
However, the Xreal Air 2 Ultra requires tethering to a smartphone, laptop, or PC via a USB-C cable, unlike the standalone capabilities of the Vision Pro and Quest 3. This limitation aside, the Air 2 Ultra expands Xreal’s product offerings and signifies the company’s return to 6-Degrees-of-Freedom (6-DoF) technology, further enhancing the AR/VR experience for users.
Overall, the AR/VR market is growing rapidly as new products and advancements are being introduced. The announcements made at CES have ignited industry interest and set the stage for further innovation and adoption of these immersive technologies. With companies like Apple, Sony, and Samsung leading the way, the future of AR/VR looks promising.
Analyst comment
Positive news. The AR/VR market is poised for growth and innovation as new products are unveiled at CES. Analysts predict increased adoption rates and a rebound in sales. Apple’s Vision Pro, Sony’s mixed-reality device, and Qualcomm’s XR chip are key developments that will drive competition, innovation, and enhance the overall ecosystem. The market looks promising with the leadership of major companies like Apple, Sony, and Samsung.
