Tags: Virtual Reality headsets, Oculus, Facebook, Samsung Gear VR, VR for consumers
Virtual Reality may be the hottest technology at the moment, but the concept of Virtual Reality isn’t new. While the concept of complete escapism and transformation in space inspired many applications, it took decades of development for virtual reality to become consumer friendly. The rapid smartphone penetration made Virtual Reality more marketable; most headsets use a smartphone to show content, and content can be distributed via app stores. Virtual Reality is for sure growing its market potential. In this new territory in the consumers market, Facebook’s Oculus Rift is the most known virtual reality headset, followed by Samsung Gear VR, according to Statista.
The question is, what is hindering Virtual Reality’s broader penetration when the concept is so cool? When a new product launches, determining a price point is a challenge for any marketers, especially when consumers are new to the product. In that regard, Samsung is making first moves as it launched a consumer friendly version of Gear VR headset at $99. How would consumers react to it? Perhaps it’s not the matter of price point after all. Perhaps it’s the negative user experience (e.g., uncomfortable to wear a headset). Perhaps it is a lack of content. Perhaps it is just pure lack of awareness/familiarity. Note that 31% of US consumers have never heard of any of the Virtual Reality headsets.
Will 2016 be the breakthrough year for consumers? We shall find out!
