Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


AR/VR Headsets See Major Decline as Mixed Reality Emerges

Augmented and virtual reality headsets experienced a double-digit decline over the last year. Worldwide, AR/VR headset manufacturers shipped 8.8 million units in all of 2022, down 20.9% over the previous year, according to a new report from market research firm IDC.

IDC said that in 2022, Meta owned nearly 80% of the market, with ByteDance coming in a distant second at 10%. "The remaining top 5 spots," according to IDC, "were held by DPVR, HTC, and iQIYI. One other notable company was Nreal, [which] captured the sixth position [among] AR/VR headsets but held the top spot in the AR market by shipping nearly [100,000] units over the course of 2022."

"While Meta and ByteDance duke it out in the VR segment, Nreal has been able to slowly grow its presence by appealing to mobile gamers," said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager, Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers at IDC, in a prepared statement. "Though it's still early days for AR and VR, Meta has been able to build a moat for itself through its various first- and third-party content. This is where other players such as Sony and potentially Apple can provide meaningful competition, though in the long run it'll put pressure on others including ByteDance and Nreal."

"Another area that is slowly gaining attention is mixed reality — devices that can switch between augmented and virtual reality," added Ramon T. Llamas, research director for Mobile Devices and AR/VR at IDC. "The release of the Meta Quest Pro last fall and the announcement of HTC's XE Elite earlier this year demonstrate clear innovation as to what is possible for the AR/VR market, and it should not be difficult to imagine others following suit. Moreover, commercial users with multiple use cases – ranging from on-boarding and orientation to training and collaboration — may gravitate to its appeal. However, given the still low penetration of AR and VR into the market, it may take several cycles for mixed reality headsets to gain salience."

Further details can be found in IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker.

About the Author

David Nagel is the former editorial director of 1105 Media's Education Group and editor-in-chief of THE Journal, STEAM Universe, and Spaces4Learning. A 30-year publishing veteran, Nagel has led or contributed to dozens of technology, art, marketing, media, and business publications.

He can be reached at [email protected]. You can also connect with him on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrnagel/ .


Featured

  • teacher holding laptop in the class at school

    80% of Teachers Are Using AI Tools in the Classroom

    In a recent survey by PreK-12 marketplace TPT, 80% of educators reported using generative AI tools in their classrooms. The majority (58%) said they use AI regularly or occasionally, while 22% have tried it once or twice.

  • Digital cyberspace with particles and Digital data

    Survey: AI Is Moving Faster than Data Trust

    AI agents are already in use or pilot at most organizations, but data visibility, governance and precision recovery capabilities have not kept pace, according to a new survey from Veeam Software.

  • Neon blue security locks with a single red highlight

    With AI, Cybersecurity Focus Shifts from Finding Flaws to Fixing Them

    For decades, one of cybersecurity's biggest challenges has been finding vulnerabilities before attackers do. A growing number of security professionals now say artificial intelligence is changing that equation, shifting the focus from discovering flaws to fixing them quickly enough to prevent exploitation.

  • Human Hand Assembling Digital Data Blocks

    Report: AI Impact Starts Relies on Strong Data Foundation

    High-impact AI implementations are more likely to treat data architecture, governance, and operationalization as strategic requirements, according to the 2026 Blueprint report from TDWI.