Samsung holds a narrow lead over Sony in the virtual reality race
Virtual reality headsets have yet to live up to the initial hype. Facebook bought Oculus VR in 2014 for $2 billion, leading Mark Zuckerberg to proclaim, "we believe this kind of immersive, augmented reality will become a part of daily life for billions of people." This has not been the case. The devices are expensive, and consumers haven't found the experience interesting enough to warrant the multiple hundred dollar price tags.
Augmented reality is now receiving much of the same excitement that VR once did - Apple and Google both released AR development kits for mobile this year - but according to IDC, virtual reality accounts for 98% of shipments in the AR/VR market. As we can see in this chart from Statista, Samsung, Sony, and Facebook lead the market. Combined, the three accounted for 60% of global VR and AR headset shipments in the second quarter of 2017.
Anaele Pelisson/Business Insider
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- One of the world's only 5-star airlines seems to be considering asking business-class passengers to bring their own cutlery
- From terrace to table: 8 Edible plants you can grow in your home
- India fourth largest military spender globally in 2023: SIPRI report
- New study forecasts high chance of record-breaking heat and humidity in India in the coming months
- Gold plunges ₹1,450 to ₹72,200, silver prices dive by ₹2,300
- Strong domestic demand supporting India's growth: Morgan Stanley