Curious about VR headset sales and market share trends? As a business consultant dedicated to helping small and medium enterprises thrive, I‘ve got the inside scoop for you.
VR adoption saw hockey-stick growth since 2017, but is projected to slow down in 2024. Here‘s a detailed breakdown of the numbers, factors at play, and what it means for businesses like yours.
2023 VR Headset Sales Projected to Reach 21.9 Million Units
Market research firm IDC predicts VR headset sales will hit 21.9 million units in 2024, up from 19.1 million in 2024 [1]. That‘s nearly a 15% year-over-year increase, signaling continued solid growth.
Driving this demand is Meta‘s new high-end Horizon Pro headset tailored for professional use cases across training, design, and collaboration. Apple‘s long-rumored mixed reality headset expected in early 2023 should also stoke consumer interest.
However, Growth is slowing from the nearly 40% year-over-year gains seen in 2021 and 2022 due to macroeconomic challenges. For context, here‘s how the projections from various firms compare:
| Firm | 2023 VR Unit Sales | Year-over-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|
| IDC | 21.9 million | 15% |
| Pitchbook | 19.5 million | 2% |
| ABI Research | 22.7 million | 18% |
Pitchbook‘s more conservative view accounts for consumers pulling back spending amid high inflation and rising rates.
While Meta surpassed 90% share of consumer standalone VR headsets last year, competition is fierce in the commercial sector. Its Quest Pro headset from late 2022 aims to increase share among businesses.
However, HTC and startup Varjo lead in providing high-end VR solutions optimized for industrial design and simulation use cases.
For example, Boeing uses Varjo headsets when designing aeroplane cockpits to assess ergonomics in life-size scale. Training giant Strivr uses VR to accelerate frontline employee proficiency for major brands like Walmart.
As more affordable enterprise-grade options emerge, VR-based skills training and workplace tools will achieve mass adoption by 2030 projected to reach $30 billion industry-wide [2].
Should Small Businesses Buy into the Hype?
VR technology can enhance collaboration, HR training, retail experiences, and more for small businesses. However, headsets still remain a costly investment ranging $300-$1500+.
Instead, consider freemium VR software tools from companies like VirBELA. They let small teams trial basic VR meeting capabilities at low cost before paying to access extended proprietary features.
Or partner with a managed VR services agency supporting business use cases on popular consumer gaming headsets. This balances affordability while still achieving immersive experiences.
I hope this detailed overview dispels any misconceptions and help you make informed VR decisions for your small biz! Have any other questions? Just ask.
[1] IDC Research, 2023[2] Emergen Research, 2022
