Global shipments of VR and mixed reality (MR) headsets are expected to hit approximately 9.6 million units in 2024, according to a report by market analyst TrendForce. This represents a year-on-year increase of 8.8% compared to 2023.
Meta retains its position as the global leader in VR and MR device shipments with a 73% market share in 2024, which TrendForce puts down to the popularity of the relatively affordable Quest 3S—priced at just $299.
Sony’s PS VR2 claimed the second-largest market share at 9% for 2024. But the analyst firm said despite its efforts to integrate the PS VR2 with PCs via adapters to broaden the content available to users, limited functionality and application support have held back its sales. It says these issues caused Sony’s annual shipments to decline by 25% year-on-year.
Apple’s Vision Pro quickly captured 5% of the overall market after launching earlier this year according to the report, making it the third-largest player in the VR/MR market. But its high price and lack of applications may have held back sales compared to previous product launches, though the headset will likely influence the future direction of the entire market.
TrendForce says the Vision Pro launch has shifted the market “beyond its traditional focus on consumer-oriented entertainment toward a broader role as multi-functional productivity tools.” It also points to how the introduction of OLEDoS display technology in the Vision Pro set a “new benchmark for product specifications and visual quality in the sector.”
In addition, TrendForce also highlighted how the Vision Pro includes capabilities such as document editing and virtual meetings. It expects these productivity-focused tools to encourage other brands “to reevaluate the functional attributes of their own VR/MR devices, expanding their role in both consumer and enterprise markets.”
Recommended by Our Editors
Looking forward, it expects Apple to adopt a two-pronged strategy for its VR headsets, releasing both a budget headset and a higher-end device as early as 2026. This broadly lines up with the predictions of Bloomberg’s Apple expert Mark Gurman.
TrendForce also predicts that Apple might experiment with goods imported from Chinese suppliers as a way to cut costs, as well as with incorporating cheaper glass-based OLED displays and LCDs with LTPO backplane technology, but predicts it will stick with the OLSEDoS display, at least for the higher-end model.
Apple Fan?
This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links.
By clicking the button, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our
Terms of Use and
Privacy Policy.
You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.
About Will McCurdy
Contributor
