Virtual Reality Named Next Mega Tech Theme by Piper Jaffray
Virtual reality headsets and content will be “the next mega tech theme” and a market worth more than $60 billion in a decade, according to Piper Jaffray Cos.
“The diverse applications of VR in combination with accelerating technological improvements will lead to mainstream adoption over the next 10 years,” Piper Jaffray analysts including Gene Munster and Erinn Murphy wrote in a May report.
Because keyboard and mouse input isn’t optimal for use with VR goggles, there will be a new market for peripheral devices that bring users’ hands and feet into virtual reality, according to Piper Jaffray. Haptic devices that give physical feedback from interactions in virtual space will follow.
Gaming will be the first application, because of a user base that already owns PCs and consoles powerful enough to handle VR content, according to the report. Content will expand to include courtside seats at a basketball game, 360-degree movies and professional applications from hospitals to courtrooms.