Canalys: VR Headset Shipments Reach 1m

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Virtual reality headset shipments hit a record in Q3 2017, Canalys reports-- 1 million units, proof the device category is not slowing down... at least for now, at any rate.

Leading the Q3 2017 market is Sony, with PlayStation VR (PS VR) shipments reaching 490000. Following is Oculus with 210000 Rift headsets (with a summer sale boosting shipments) and HTC with 160000 Vive VR units. Together the 3 companies make 86% of the total market for the quarter.

Canalys VR market

“VR adoption in the consumer segment is highly dependent on price, and Oculus’ strategy of lowering prices has definitely helped drive adoption,” the analyst says. “Hugo Barra is betting on his next product, the $199 Oculus Go standalone headset, to reach more users next year. The Go will excite first-time users, but driving adoption beyond social media will be a challenge.”

The global market should see a further boost in 2018, thanks to new entrants supporting the Microsoft Windows Mixed Reality platform. These include top-tier PC vendors, including HP, Lenovo, Acer, Asus and Dell, all using their channel efficiences to push what one can expect to be a strong VR uptake. Such uptake also includes business, as many industries (such as manufacturing, healthcare and education) can make use of Windows-powered VR.

An interesting take on VR comes from the far East-- the unique gaming and entertainment culture of Japan is pushing VR adoption. The country houses a number of VR experience zones, allowing customers to enjoy VR fantasies based on anime and gaming. As such, it comes to no surprise Sony dominates the Japanese VR market, with the PS VR taking over 80% share. The company also plans to bundle the headset with popular new games, including Doom, Skyrim and Gran Turismo.

Go VR Headset Shipments Top 1m for the First Time