"From the outside, it looks like virtual and mixed reality is having a moment. Three new headsets have launched or been announced in the last month: Apple's M5 Vision Pro, the Samsung Galaxy XR, and, just this week, Valve announced the Steam Frame. Given the marketing, you might assume that means Big Tech thinks this tech finally has some mass-market appeal. But, in the nearly 60 years since the first-ever VR headset, one thing remains true: this isn't the next iPhone."
"It's not a question of if people are buying these headsets. They are - just not in numbers that signal the tech is ready for primetime. According to IDC, Apple shipped roughly 400,000 Vision Pro headsets in 2024. That makes sense, given the $3,500 price tag. But Meta's headsets are relatively affordable at $300 to $500 and make for popular Christmas gifts. Meta shipped roughly 5.6 million headsets in 2024."
"And despite what might look like hype around the Vision Pro and the Galaxy XR, Counterpoint Research senior analyst Flora Tang said that premium headsets, or those that cost more than $1,000, will represent just 5 to 6 percent of total VR shipments in 2025. That aligns with IDC's numbers, which estimate that these premium headsets will account for roughly 6.2 percent of the total market in 2024."
Virtual and mixed reality have seen several recent headset launches, including Apple's M5 Vision Pro, Samsung's Galaxy XR, and Valve's Steam Frame. Despite new products and marketing, the VR market remains niche rather than broadly adopted. Shipment figures show Apple moved roughly 400,000 Vision Pro units in 2024, while Meta shipped about 5.6 million lower-cost headsets. Premium headsets priced above $1,000 are projected to represent only about 5–6 percent of VR shipments in 2025, aligning with 2024 estimates and underscoring limited consumer penetration.
Read at The Verge
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