VR시장이 신규 디바이스 출시 예고에 들썩이고 있다. 소니 PS VR2 출시 예정에 이어 메타 퀘스트3도 같은 해 출시될 것이란 유저들의 기대에 2023년 VR 디바이스를 중심으로 소비 심리가 되살아날 것이란 전망이 나오고 있다.

▲Sony PS VR2 scheduled for release (Image - PlayStation homepage)
Global shipments up with new device launches
Sony in the first half, Meta in the second half… Apple in VR too?
Consumers who have waited for over 3 years, sufficient demand drivers
The VR market is buzzing with the announcement of new device releases. Following the expected release of Sony's PS VR2, MetaQuest 3 is also expected to be released in the same year, leading to predictions that consumer sentiment will revive in 2023, centering on VR devices.
While the release date of PS VR2 was revealed last month to be February 22nd next year, Meta is reporting that the next-generation VR device series, Quest 3, will be released at the end of next year. Meta has already strengthened its VR lineup by releasing the high-end VR device, MetaQuest Pro, in October.

▲2020~2023 Global VR Device Shipment Trends and Forecast (Data - TrendForce)
According to market research firm TrendForce, global shipments of VR devices this year are estimated to be around 8.58 million units, a 5.3% decrease year-on-year, but are expected to rebound to a total of 10.35 million units in 2023, a 20.6% increase year-on-year.
The VR industry has shown insufficient growth due to the weakening consumer sentiment caused by high inflation, increased inventory, and the weakening of new product launches by VR brands. On the other hand, there is a prospect of a series of new product launches starting next year, and many predict that consumer sentiment will pick up in the second half of the year, so it is highly likely that consumers who have waited for new VR products for over three years will open their wallets.
TrendForce explained that Meta's recently released Quest Pro is priced at $1,499 (KRW 2,190,000 in Korea), which is more than three times the price of its predecessor, Quest 2, but failed to create momentum for shipment growth due to factors such as short battery life. It predicted that Meta's VR device shipments will see notable positive growth when Quest 3 is released in the future, and that a total of 7.25 million units will be shipped.
Sony's PS VR2 is the first product to be released, but it is questionable whether it will significantly contribute to the increase in global shipments. This is because the PS VR2 is only compatible with the PlayStation 5 product and does not support backward compatibility or PC connection, limiting its versatility. TrendForce analyzed that PS VR2 is targeting a niche market and it will be difficult to increase sales significantly. Accordingly, the expected shipment volume of PS VR2 is expected to remain at around 1.6 million units.
Apple is also rumored to be developing a mixed reality (MR) headset, with the goal of releasing it as early as 2023. Apple's first MR headset is expected to be designed as a predecessor to Apple Glass, and is expected to be closer to AR-based. This is because Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a foreign media interview that "AR is a technology that will affect everything," and Apple is showing its commitment to AR.
The trend of VR device growth is focused on △smaller form factor △improved image quality △more sensing functions. These trends have driven up development costs and finished product prices. Accordingly, Meta is expected to see its advantage as a market leader diminish due to increasing cost pressures and difficulty in finding product utilization strategies.
Meanwhile, AR/VR products are expected to lead the adoption of new displays and optical components such as micro OLED, mini LED, and pancake lenses, and the adoption of sensors such as images and MEMS for controller configuration and interaction with the physical world is expected to increase further.