Virtual reality promises to be a mega-trend that upends how we use computers and just plain get along. So why is it such a snooze at the world's biggest tech expo?
Feel free to call it a virtual disappointment or say it was virtually unsurprising. I'll just say It was virtually underwhelming
Whatever pun you choose, the virtual reality industry has some explaining to do after this year's Consumer Electronics Show, during which the biggest product announcements can largely be categorized as "more of the same."
Consider computer maker Lenovo, which showed off a VR headset whose primary selling point is that it's cheaper than competitors like the $599 Oculus Rift from Facebook or the $799 HTC Vive-- though Lenovo isn't discussing prices yet and the prototype on display doesn't actually work.
There's also Osterhout Design Group, which showed a new pair of smart glasses, powered by Google's Android phone software and using the newest chips from Qualcomm. The glasses were supposed to be the latest entrant in the world of AR, or augmented reality, layering computer images on the real world you're looking at. (Think Pokemon Go.) But you'd be forgiven if you confused them with last year's model, though they promise better performance and visuals. It'll launch by midyear, costing as much as $1,500.
Even Intel, the world's largest chipmaker, which is developing its own VR headset, gave a presentation using nearly year-old devices from Facebook's Oculus.
If you relied on CES to show you the latest in technology, VR was pretty much a no-show.
"It is concerning that people haven't invented as much cool things to do with VR," said Gartner analyst Brian Blau, on the sidelines of CES next to people checking out gadgets like smart locks with fingerprint sensors and this year's reimagining of the multifunction remote control, which looked suspiciously similar to last year's version.
Ian Paul, chief information officer for adult entertainment company Naughty America, said he's concerned that there doesn't seem to be a serious effort from content creators, aside from his competitors and the video game industry. As a result, it's hard to find compelling content, which he said often leads people to find more and more. "You don't have a rabbit hole experience in VR," he said.
But he's not concerned that there's comparably little energy being put toward VR hardware products at this year's show. Blau echoed that sentiment, adding that investment in hardware will likely happen over time. "There may not be an iPhone-like aha moment for VR," he said.
Part of the reason is that after years of gee-whiz futuristic demos, people's expectations have become unrealistic, said Lisa Zhao, co-founder of Chinese motion sensor startup LYRobotix. "Average users, they want the perfect glasses now," she said. "That's not how technology advances."
For decades, VR was little more than a pipe dream, relegated to fiction, Hollywood props and a few hardware geeks. But that changed in 2012, when a startup called Oculus gained attention for promising affordable, high-quality goggles. Facebook bought the company two years later for $2 billion.
This holiday season marked the first time that high-end VR headsets from Oculus, Sony, HTC and other major players were on store shelves.
Last year, it appeared VR was on a similar trajectory after Intel showed off a helmet from a partner company called Daqri that could be configured to give construction workers a form of X-ray vision. They'd be able to see schematics as they looked at a building. It became one of the most talked-about products at the show.
But that energy fell away this year. Most VR companies at CES 2017 are talking about things few consumers will think about, like new sensor technology and software development tools. (Scott Stein, who reviews virtual reality tech for CNET, says "most of the major players in VR took CES off, and the biggest advancements needed to take VR forward -- better displays, wireless, and less bulky designs -- still haven't gotten here yet."
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