Virtual Reality: Are We Ready For It?

It was being considered as something that belonged only in the reel world but recent developments seem to indicate that virtual reality or VR is finally ready to step into our real lives as well. Anuj Bhatia takes a closer look at the VR phenomenon and where it is headed.

- Anuj Bhatia

Virtual Reality:

Virtual reality (VR) has long been perceived as an evitable part of our future. What was once considered a vague idea and a distant dream today seems closer to reality and although still very much in the early stages, the possibilities appear endless. Google, Facebook, Sony, Microsoft and Samsung, all have products and solutions in the VR space, and the debate remains how the mainstream market will react, and whether developers can deliver on the promise to bring new and immersive content. We talked to key members of industry to know the use cases of VR tech, and what is the future of virtual reality, globally as well as in India?

VR: the ‘next big thing’? 

Ever since Facebook acquired Oculus VR for $2 billion in 2014, it has changed the virtual reality market forever. Since then we have been seeing a slew of companies that have either ventured, or have announced plans to enter the virtual reality business. The Oculus Rift headset, which costs $599 (or approximately Rs. 40,732) but requires a high-end PC, has been in high demand despite its expensive price tag. Oculus recently announced that over a million people used Samsung’s Gear VR headset. earlier this month, OnePlus and AntVR teamed up to sell 30,000 customized OnePlus loop VR headsets, which were available to customers on a first-come, first-served basis. OnePlus held launch event of its latest flagship smartphone, the OnePlus 3, in virtual reality. HTC, a smartphone manufacturer, is pumping more resources to virtual reality. Its Vive VR headset went on sale in select markets, earlier this year.