Sales of VR/AR headsets will increase significantly in the course of 2019. This is revealed by the new quarterly report of IDC analysts on the market of virtual and augmented reality…
According to IDC’s new Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker report, VR and AR headset sales increased by 27.2% in the first quarter of 2019 compared to Q1 2018. This strong growth is mainly due to the success of VR headsets, which account for 96.6% of sales in Q1 2019.
For the time being, VR headsets are therefore much better than AR headsets. However, IDC estimates that the arrival of autonomous AR headsets and lower prices will allow the democratization of augmented reality. By 1029, autonomous AR headsets could thus represent 53.9% of the augmented reality market compared to 47.8% in 2018.
VR Headset Sales: Stand-Alone Headsets Dominate the Market
Analysts also believe that autonomous virtual reality headsets like the Oculus Quest will gain market share throughout 2019. By the end of the year, standalone headsets should account for 38.2% of sales against 46.1% for PC headsets and 17.7% for smartphone headsets. In 2018, autonomous headsets accounted for 26.6% of sales, compared to 44.1% for PC headsets and 29.3% for smartphones.
In total, IDC predicts 7.6 million VR/AR headsets sold in 2019. In comparison, 5.9 million units had been sold in 2018. About one in three headphones is expected to be purchased by businesses, which means that growth will therefore be largely driven by professionals.
