The VR Hype Cycle Is Over, and Just in Time for the AR Hype Cycle to Begin

VR headsets are out, and AR glasses are in. Research from analysis firm Counterpoint shows that the global VR shipments trended down through 2024 despite proliferation cheap headsets like the Meta Quest 3s. Worse, VR sales numbers may not improve any time soon. The next step for these companies are glasses—with or without augmented reality capabilities. Big tech now needs to convince consumers thin glasses filled to the brim with AI are better than shoving a heavy piece of plastic on their noggins. The number of VR headsets shipped globally fell by 12% year-over-year. Headset shipments fell a whole 5% in the last quarter of 2024. That was despite the grandaddy of the virtual reality hype bubble, Meta, promoting the $300 Meta Quest 3s. That cheap but capable headset gave the Mark Zuckerberg-led company an even greater VR market share than in previous quarters, consuming more slices of a dwindling pie. Sony managed to hold on to its bare 9% market share, likely because of its PlayStatio ... Read full article.