The Rise Of Virtual Reality

Most experts are predicting that 2019 is going to be the year when Virtual Reality will shine in ways it never has before on a consumer level, and we are already seeing signs that this is the case.

In this post, we are going to take a look at the trend in further detail while also assessing some of the VR products that are set to hit the tech market throughout the year ahead. We will also provide you with a bit of information on VR and the steps it has already taken over the past few years. So, let’s get right to it…

What is Virtual Reality (VR)?

To understand Virtual Reality, we need to take a look at both words individually. ‘Reality’ is what we experience as human beings while ‘virtual’ can be described as ‘almost’ or ‘nearly’. Therefore, Virtual Reality simply means something that is near-reality. Of course, this can mean a lot of different things, but nowadays it tends to relate to some form of reality imitation, for instance, you’ve no doubt heard of ‘virtual roller coasters’.

Virtual Reality so far

The likes of virtual roller coasters have been around for some time now, and when we refer to Virtual Reality today, we are witnessing a whole new level. Now, we are going to start talking about Virtual Reality in the form of products that are available for the individual consumer at present.

There are many different ways in which we have seen Virtual Reality take over. Firstly, you have the development of 360-degree cameras that give consumers the ability to engage in amateur virtual-reality shooting, with a prime example being the cameras that are available via GoPro Inc. YouTube already supports these videos. In fact, it even rolled out live 360-degree videos in 2016.

There was also the launch of Oculus Rift from Facebook, which was the first consumer-level Virtual Reality headset that does not need a smartphone. This has been designed to create a feeling of being completely immersed into a three-dimensional world, and there are currently a whole host of games in development to be compatible with Oculus Rift.  Also available is the Vive VR headset from Valve and HTC Corp.

As you can see, there have already been some groundbreaking developments for Virtual Reality, with it finally being fully accessible to the everyday consumer. It is remarkable to consider how fast the industry is progressing, and this is only going to continue throughout 2019.

Virtual Reality in 2019

Now, let’s fast-forward to 2019 and our Virtual Reality prediction for the year ahead. We are going to see Virtual Reality make a massive difference in terms of career progression. You only need to look at Avia Virtual Reality to see that this is the case. Not only is VR used for entertainment while on a flight but it also plays a critical role when it comes to pilot training too. This is something we are going to see spill out into other industries as well.

There are a number of other Virtual Reality trends that we are likely to see throughout the coming year. We should expect Virtual Reality to become a lot more prominent in marketing and advertising campaigns. Aside from this, VR will enhance the tourism and travel industry, with a projected uptake in VR across this sector.

Other trends we are anticipating include the increase of Virtual Reality adoption in education, uptake in demand for the services of Virtual Reality developers, and a rise in the sales of standalone VR headsets. We are sure there will be some unexpected and surprising developments along the way too, so there is certainly a lot to look forward to.

Hopefully, you now have a better understanding of the rise of Virtual Reality. As you can see, there have already been a number of significant advancements when it comes to VR. However, this is not an industry that is going to be slowing down any time soon, and there are definitely some exciting times that lie ahead in this sector in 2019.