Demand for AR and VR headsets nearly tripled in one year
Adam Sinicki / Android Authority
TL; DR
- Deliveries of AR and VR headsets almost tripled in early 2021 compared to the previous year.
- The Oculus Quest 2 dominated the market with 75% market share.
- Facebook could keep the upper hand for the foreseeable future.
Virtual reality could have had its turning point. Counterpoint Research found that shipments of VR and AR headsets nearly tripled year over year in the first quarter of 2021.
You won’t be surprised to hear who led the pack. The Oculus Quest 2 led to that surge in demand, giving Facebook’s VR headset brand a whopping 75% share. It even changed the shape of the market – standalone headsets now make up 85% of the market, down from just 42% in early 2020. It is estimated that Oculus has shipped 4.6 million Quest 2 units to date.
Everyone else was fighting over scrap, according to the data. China’s DPVR, thanks to its focus on VR headset technology for businesses and schools, ranked second at 6%, while Sony’s PlayStation VR slipped to 5%. The rest included HTC’s Vive gearbox, the Valve Index, and other (usually niche) hardware.
See also: The best VR games for most headsets
Counterpoint didn’t fully explain the spike, but it’s not hard to see more factors beyond the value of Quest 2 itself. The latest Oculus model was unveiled in September 2020, just before the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic – a VR headset was a compelling way to escape your home when you couldn’t travel or meet others in person.
It is expected that Oculus will not face any threats for the remainder of the year. However, the company may not want to get comfortable. Sony is developing a second generation PlayStation VR headset for the PS5, while both Apple and Microsoft are reportedly preparing for affordable mixed reality technology in the coming years. As much mileage as you are likely to get out of a Quest 2, Oculus may need to top it up if it is to keep your interest for years to come.
