According to the latest figures from IDC, the virtual reality (VR)/augmented reality (AR) market declined for the fourth consecutive quarter, with headset sales falling to 2017 levels.
Virtual reality/augmented reality rebound, continued decline since the end of the health crisis
In the second quarter of 2023, global VR/AR headset distribution fell 44.6% compared to the same period last year. That is to say a constant decline following the sudden growth during the Covid-19 period, an increase in the price of the Meta Quest 2 headset, and a limited and little renewed offer. Meta remains the leader with 50.2% market share, followed by Sony and its PSVR 2 headset at 27.1% although it was launched in February. In 2023, 8.5 million helmets are expected to be sold, or 3.2% less than in 2022.
Virtual reality/augmented reality rebound expected in 2024
The market should, however, rebound in 2024 with expected growth of 46.8% compared to 2023, in particular thanks to the launch of the Apple Vision Pro headset, as well as new headsets from Meta and ByteDance.
