The year 2021 was a massive year in the tech industry, and the whole world starting to become more familiar with the meaning of the metaverse was only the tip of the iceberg. As always, we have been driven to improve our tech, and the VR space was no different. We can’t wait to see what 2022 holds. Here is our VR trend forecast for the upcoming year.
MORE INDUSTRIES AND SECTORS WILL ADOPT VR
This is our biggest trend prediction, and virtual events have been just the beginning. There are already a few more industries who are diving in headfirst, articularly retail, marketing, travel, and education and training.
Two of these industries have already come together successfully through VR. On Black Friday, Walmart used virtual reality to train their staff to deal with the enormous chaos of the occasion. The VR tech used generated situations involving long queues, dangerous crowding and general customer interactions. Walmart staff had to react to each scenario in the correct manner, familiarising themselves with various protocols in a low-pressure environment. This was so effective and productive that we can see many other retailers using this form of VR training this year.
Training staff isn’t the only place virtual reality can make retail more lucrative. It can also improve the online shopping experience, allow shoppers to try items on virtually, and continue to introduce the idea of virtual pop-up stores or experiences.
When it comes to education and training, we foresee many students continuing to learn from home using VR platforms, as well as the emergence of fun, immersive and engaging virtual reality experiences to enhance lessons. Industry-specific training can also be done over VR, allowing for more safety and practice, especially in the engineering and medical fields.
While marketers will also likely begin to introduce more of a brand presence into virtual spaces, travel marketing is where we think VR will really take off. Travel sectors will be able to create VR experiences to send to travel agencies showing off everything from their hotels and excursions to wildlife and food. Travellers can get a feel for where they want to go and what they want to do there before booking a ticket, with marketers helping local businesses put their best foot forward.
MAJOR TECH IMPROVEMENTS
The two main reasons VR isn’t as readily available to the average household is because of the costs and the unavailability of parts. Not only is virtual reality hardware expensive to make, but many of the components are often in short supply because of a lack of demand from the general public. Over recent years, however, the gaming industry has been picking up the pace creating VR games and experiences, increasing the demand for these products. While that may take care of component shortages, we still have the high costs to contend with.
Our prediction is that the VR industry will begin to make great strides in improving the technology to be more affordable and easier to make and transport. This will lower overall costs, making these products more affordable for homes and businesses alike.
THE START OF A MASSIVE MERGER
While virtual reality is great as it is, it’s even better when it works in conjunction with augmented reality and artificial intelligence. When they come together, they create something called mixed reality, and the rise of mixed reality will allow people and businesses to customise their tech experiences – whatever they may be – fully. Whether they’re shopping for clothes, watching sport, gaming, attending a digital event or engaging with a branded promotion (and more!), they will be fully immersed.
MAKE YOUR MOVE
If you’re a business or brand who wants to get in on the bottom level, now is the time. The COVID-19 pandemic was the catalyst for the exponential growth of this technology and you won’t want to get left behind as the modern world shifts its digital gear.
For more information about our virtual reality, augmented reality and artificial intelligence offerings, click here. To find out more about our virtual events platform, visit Virtuworx.