"virtual reality" articles

Samsung’s new Gear VR headset and motion controller that it announced at Samsung’s Unpacked event are exactly what Samsung needs to remain at the top of the mobile VR space. Samsung already boasts a majority of advantages when Gear VR is compared to competitors such as Google Daydream and other mobile VR viewers. Gear VR was the first major VR headset available on the market, and it also benefitted from Samsung’s marketing, demos, and promotion throughout its lifecycle, which...

Some of the most interesting news to come out of CES this year had to do with virtual reality. With the upcoming release of the Windows Holographic System and VR headsets for around $300, it seems like 2017 may be the year that VR goes mainstream. But what does this mean for fitness and healthcare? One example of what we can expect in terms of fitness is VirZOOM. The VirZOOM platform includes a stationary bicycle that works in combination with a VR headset and accompanying software...

A major business disruption stemming from the increasing connectivity of consumer electronic devices is the growing need for ongoing support among consumers. The resulting business challenge is that many companies that had not previous developed capabilities in this area find themselves in a position where providing such services is inevitable. Many are now preoccupied with how to accomplish the following: Increase support efficiency Minimize the use of support...

2016 has been a significant year for virtual reality (VR) headsets. CE manufacturers have developed models for any household budget. Parks Associates finds that in Q3 2016, 3.5% of U.S. broadband households owned one or more virtual reality headsets. This might seem like a small number; however, compared to Q1 2016, this is a significant increase (2.4% in Q1 2016). As the gifting season is here, many tech news sources are putting together lists of the best VR sets from 2016. Prices...

According to Parks Associates research, 63% of U.S. broadband households are not familiar or know nothing about virtual reality (VR), leaving a wide opportunity for industry players to educate and market these new products and services. Currently, only 3.5% of U.S. broadband households, or roughly 3.4 million households, own a VR headset. However, a new market snapshot by Parks Associates shows experience is key for wider adoption VR headsets. Consumer Strategies and Use Cases for...

Companies in connected CE and the entertainment IoT space are watching the emergence of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) to determine their impact on device development, content creation, and consumer engagement. Familiarity with VR and AR technologies is still limited but growing, especially among the younger generations. According to Parks Associates research, 63% of U.S. broadband households are not familiar or know nothing about virtual reality, leaving a wide...

This week, Chinese CE device and entertainment company LeEco made impressive announcements about its U.S. market entry plans. Which market? All of them. LeEco makes phones, bikes, VR headsets, and even an electric car prototype. It acquired TV manufacturer Vizio in July, and makes its own TV sets as well. It is not dipping its toe into the U.S. market with a single device type but jumping in wholesale with an entire ecosystem of devices. Recent research from Parks Associates shows...

Sony launched its much-anticipated PlayStation VR Thursday morning in a move that will likely have a drastic impact on the gaming experience. Brett Sappington , Senior Director of Research at Parks Associates, provided insight on the retail launch strategy, the impact of PlayStation VR on the market, problems to anticipate, and new games/content for the device. His comments are included below: Retail launch strategy: The launch strategy and advertising surrounding...