A new survey by investment firm Piper Sandler has revealed that virtual reality technology has yet to catch on with American teenagers. The study found that only 4% of teenage headset owners polled used virtual reality on a daily basis, with 14% using it weekly. In contrast, 87% of teenagers surveyed owned an iPhone.
The report also revealed that teenagers were not particularly interested in purchasing forthcoming VR headsets. Only 7% of those surveyed said they planned to buy a headset, compared to 52% who were unsure or uninterested.
The survey results suggest that virtual reality hardware and software has not yet gained traction with the public, despite billions of dollars in investment from big tech companies and the availability of low-cost headsets in the market. This is significant because teenagers are often early adopters of new technology, and their preferences can provide an indication of where the industry is headed.
Piper Sandler analysts noted that the “lukewarm usage demonstrates that VR remains ‘early days’ and that these devices are less important than smartphones.” The report suggests that virtual reality technology has a long way to go before it can compete with smartphones in terms of importance to consumers.
The survey also indicates that virtual reality is struggling to gain traction as Apple reportedly prepares to announce its own headset this year. The study suggests that the tech giant may face an uphill battle in convincing potential customers to adopt its VR technology.
Similarly, Facebook parent company Meta is expected to release new virtual reality headsets later this year. Its Quest 2 headset, which was released in 2020, is currently the leader in the market in terms of sales. However, analysts have noted that shipments declined last year, which may indicate that virtual reality technology is still struggling to gain mainstream acceptance. The survey by Piper Sandler suggests that virtual reality technology has yet to gain traction with American teenagers. The low usage rates and lack of interest in purchasing VR headsets indicate that the technology is still in its early days and has a long way to go before it can compete with smartphones and other established technologies.
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