Why 2022 is the Year Virtual and Augmented Reality Come to Life

Sony, maker of the popular gaming console PlayStation, announced its new virtual reality headset at CES this week as the race to compete in Metaverse, a virtual world of work and play, heats up for tech companies.

The virtual reality and augmented reality markets are expected to grow to nearly $600 billion by 2025, according to industry research and announcements of new products by major companies such as Sony, Lenovo, HTC, and Panasonic at the annual trade show in Los Angeles. Vegas suggests strong consumer demand for reality-altering products.

Jim Ryan, president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, said during a presentation at CES. Sony PlayStation VR2 „We will introduce a new generation of VR games that will help players feel more present and immersed in their game worlds once they put on the headset and use the controllers.”

Sony didn’t provide a release date for its VR2, but said it will come with eye-tracking technology, a headset concept and 3D audio so players can feel the heightened pulse of their gaming character during tense moments or experience the wind created by an object. Goes close to the character’s head.

Sony says its new virtual reality headset will connect directly to its PlayStation 5 console. The company is also developing the popular game „Horizon Call of the Mountain” exclusively for VR2. Last year, when Meta (formerly known as Facebook) said it was fully committed to developing products for the Metaverse, it also announced an exclusive deal to develop a version of „Grand Theft Auto” for its Oculus 2 headset.

Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 VR device was a hit over the holidays, and its recent success could bode well for other virtual reality and augmented reality devices coming to market. Apple, Google, Microsoft and other big tech companies are expected to announce VR glasses this year.

The Consumer Technology Association, which organizes and hosts CES, predicted last year that more than 100 million Americans would become first-time VR users by 2022. A third of Americans already use VR products at least once a month.

HTC’s vision for virtual reality extends beyond headsets. The Taiwan-based smartphone maker announced the Wireless at CES this week Wrist tracker for VIVE FOCUS 3 Headset.

„We’re already seeing how hardware is becoming smaller and sleeker, and software is becoming faster and more efficient,” HTC’s global head of hardware Shen Ye told CBS News.

The tracker is designed to interact and collaborate with virtual reality. Partnered with HTC XR HealthA Virtual Clinic Startup to Help Virtual Environment Design and Smart-Tracker Maker Axon To design trackers specifically for healthcare organizations. Companies have also built virtual therapy rooms that offer physical and occupational therapy, pain management and physical training.

„Delivering virtual care to patients is going to improve all medical practices by providing the most innovative solutions for everyone, anywhere,” said Eran Orr, CEO of XRHealth, in a statement.

Canon, best known for its photo and video cameras, also announced its concept for a virtual reality headset at CES. The device, which the company calls „Cocomo,” combines immersive 3D experiences with video calling. Instead of seeing avatars when connecting with friends in the virtual world, Canon says its software will let users see loved ones face-to-face.

„We want people to forget they’re wearing a virtual reality headset,” Jason Williams, Canon’s senior innovation designer, said in a video announcement. „We realized how important it can feel to see your own looks, expressions and clothes. Not avatars or characters. The ability to make eye contact with the people we love is what makes it so special,” he added.

While Sony, Meta, HTC and Canon are pushing VR headsets, other companies like Panasonic, TCL and Kura Technologies are working with lightweight glasses that combine virtual reality and augmented reality elements.

Panasonic announced the second version of its VR glasses at CES this week. The MeganeX, which will be released this spring with a $900 price tag, weighs less than 9 ounces and has a built-in function that allows nearsighted people to use it without wearing glasses.

Panasonic’s MeganeX is powered by the Snapdragon XR1, a processor developed by Qualcomm for smartphones and used in the Meta Quest 2 and HTC’s Vive headsets. The glasses are foldable and have built-in speakers. Panasonic promised more details about the controller for the device ahead of its launch later this year.

Television maker TCL announced that it is stepping into the world of virtual and augmented reality and unveiled its first smart glasses at CES. The Chinese electronics maker’s Leiniao AR smart glasses are still a prototype, but a teaser video suggested the glasses are lightweight and can be used to dial work meetings, take photos, share photos, respond to text messages, and show turn-by-turns. Reverse directions for your surroundings.

The glasses can connect to streaming platforms to play movies and TV shows and come with wireless controllers for video games. „Our smart glasses give you the freedom to leave your smartphone in your bag or drawer and keep your digital life in a rich, seamless way,” TCL Chief Marketing Officer Stephen Streit said in a video announcement.

The biggest names in consumer electronics aren’t just dabbling with virtual and augmented reality products. Silicon Valley startup Cura Technologies, one of the CES 2022 Innovation Award honorees, is developing lightweight augmented reality glasses called „Gallium.”

Cura claims its glasses weigh as little as 3 ounces and have a 150-degree field of view, which allows for a wide field of view, allowing you to see content at arm’s length. Augmented reality glasses are capable of replacing traditional Skype and Zoom calls, the company said.

The number of virtual reality and augmented reality products unveiled at this year’s CES indicates that the trend will continue. According to Fortune Business IntelligenceThe global virtual reality market is likely to grow from $6 billion in 2021 to $80 billion by 2028.

Other industry analysts predict that the mobile augmented reality industry will grow from about $12 billion in 2020 to nearly $200 billion by the end of the decade.

to DecadesEven in tech events like Augmented and Virtual Reality, they’ve faded into technological innovation CES. Devices are often clumsy with low-fidelity screens and poor software. But this year’s showpieces say VR and AR are the future of consumer technology.

„Consumers can expect software to deliver seamless experiences that make you feel like you’re in the real world,” promised HTC’s Shen Ye. „There will be no noticeable latency, and the hardware will be so portable that you can access these immersive experiences anywhere.”