When Ivan Sutherland developed ‘The Sword of Damocles’ in 1968, many saw it as a bulky contraption of no significant use. Even as more technological developments went into fine-tuning the virtual reality space, more people were discouraged by its massive gear, high costs, and sparse content.
Fast-forward to today and almost every business and consumer wants a piece of the virtual reality cake. In fact, a whopping 10.8 million virtual reality gadgets were sold in 2023, revealing VR’s revolutionary and intense potential.
In this post, we’ll discuss five emerging VR trends in 2024 and how they will reshape various industries.
Exploring The Top VR Trends Shaking Things Up
What we initially thought to be mere science fiction is now redefining how we experience content online. Here are five of the latest trends in virtual reality that promise to elevate the immersive internet experience.
Integration of Extended Reality (XR)
As more people warm up to using virtual reality technologies, extended reality, an umbrella term that combines all immersive technologies, is also generating a lot of buzz. Picture going to your favorite designer stores and trying out their latest release, view their products in 3D, and even interacting with salespeople. That’s what extended reality is about.
Experts predict that more businesses will embrace extended reality, providing customers with next-level immersive interactions. Do note that XR use cases go beyond the e-commerce and fashion industry. In fact, XR is expected to transform industries like education, health, and gaming, making learning, health assessment, and entertainment more accessible and efficient.
Adoption of Spatial Computing
The gap between physical and virtual realms quickly reduces, thanks to spatial computing. This innovative tech blends computer vision, cameras, and advanced sensors to craft dynamic virtual overlays onto real-world environments. Easy-to-understand use cases include placing virtual furniture in your living room or following GPS-generated direction arrows on real-life city streets.
Spatial computing empowers VR/AR to interact with reality, offering life-like experiences seamlessly. We’ve already seen the IoT market develop motion sensor lights, which is a huge hit worldwide. But we can’t wait to see what’s next in this trendy space.
Increase in Social VR Platforms
The VR experience is now much more than an individual experience. With the development and growth of social VR platforms, people can now connect with like-minded individuals, friends, and colleagues in immersive virtual hubs. From hosting parties, attending concerts, and even participating in multiplayer casino games virtually, social VR is quickly reshaping how we experience the digital and physical realm within various industries and aspects of our lives.
A good example of the potential use of social VR is in online casinos. We know these sites as ideal destinations for online gamers who want to enjoy the casino experience without the hassle of dressing up and moving around. However, many top casinos online provide an individual gaming experience, with the option to join other players in live casino gaming rooms only.
But could the interaction be more? In the future, such platforms, with the help of social VR technologies, are more likely to have embraced the art of fostering community building and social interactions among players. From enabling players to create avatars, participating in tournaments and virtual events, to exploring virtual casino floors with friends, integrating social VR platforms with the online gambling experience will make it more dynamic and enjoyable.
Seamless Blend of AI and VR
VR and AI are innovative technologies that have pushed the world to new and previously unfathomable heights. However, as the world becomes more reliant on VR and other immersive technologies, we expect to see more personalized and interactive experiences with the help of AI algorithms.
The convergence of these two worlds presents endless possibilities that offer customized and more exciting experiences. After all, AI helps analyze user preferences and behaviors, which can provide VR technology with insightful data for more efficient experiences. This level of customization is bound to drive increased user satisfaction and overall engagement.
Development of Hyper-Realistic VR
One area where VR experts have dedicated their time and expertise is in the hyperrealism space. In 2024, we are closer than ever before to blurring the lines of distinction between virtual and physical realities.
With companies like Meta, formerly known as Facebook, investing heavily in hyper-realistic VR technologies, we will soon have the ability to replicate our real-life environments in the virtual realm. Unlike current VR technologies that work independently, hyper-realistic VR will merge as VR apps and services together, creating a mind-blowing immersive experience – the best of our time.
Virtual Reality Will Definitely Be A Gamechanger
The horizon of virtual experience is expanding drastically, and virtual reality is the vanguard, ushering us to unprecedented levels of engagement and productivity. Instead of sticking with familiar technologies, we forecast that many businesses in various industries will innovate to provide unique experiences to their employees and customers with VR.
That said, it’s not unrealistic to predict dynamic, seamless, and responsive virtual environments, interactions and collaborations. As VR continues to evolve and gain widespread use, it promises to be an invaluable tool to sectors like education, health, remote business environments, and entertainment.
