Number of VR and AR headsets delivered falls sharply

The number of headsets supplied for virtual and augmented reality fell sharply in the first months of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. This is mainly because manufacturers no longer give the headsets as a gift when purchasing a high-end smartphone.

In the first three months, manufacturers supplied a total of 1.2 million headsets for VR and AR, reports IDC. The analyst firm itself reports a 30.5 percent drop, although last year it reported that manufacturers shipped 2.3 million units in the first three months of 2017. That would be almost a halving in a year’s time.

The sharp drop is because market leader Samsung did not offer a free Gear VR on a large scale in combination with the Galaxy S9 and A8, two of the new devices that support VR. In addition, no new models of other popular headsets appeared on the market. The Oculus Go, a cheaper standalone headset, appeared in the spring.

The analyst firm expects the AR and VR market to grow again quickly, thanks to products such as the Oculus Go. The market, according to IDC, consists of “screenless viewers” like the Gear VR, standalone headsets like the Oculus Go and wired headsets like the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR. The analyst firm has not broken down deliveries by category.