As the 2016 ends we have seen great progress in Virtual Reality industry. With the launches of new products like Oculus Touch controllers, Google Daydream platform, developing platforms like Unity EditorVR, Virtual Reality have taken a great leap. And 2017 is coming and experts are predicting awesome things to come. So today we are listing top 5 virtual reality predictions by experts for 2017. Let’s get started.
Apple will release its AR/VR iPhone and HMD
Apple has been working on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality for past 10 years but now when VR/AR hype is at its peak, everybody got amaze when Apple’s VR headset patents leaked back in 2013. The patents are confirming that Apple is secretly working on something.
Not just the patents in recent years Apple hired many engineers, scientists and Human Computer Interaction experts from different companies. It is reported that Apple had hired team members of Microsoft Hololens, Oculus and Magic Leap.
Most of the hiring is done by acquiring different companies that were working on VR and AR. Some of them are listed below
- Metaio ( Marker based Augmented Reality)
- PrimeSense (3D body tracking)
- Faceshift ( Transforming face to 3D animated face in real time)
- Emotient ( Face tracking)
New VR headsets with greater features
Google DayDream VR headset was the big VR headset launch of 2016. Moreover many different Chinese companies also launched their vr headsets. With larger capacity for bigger phones and with high powered lenses.
But still industry is waiting for an eye-tracking and motion sensing VR headset. Which will boost up the Virtual Reality experience more.
Everybody’s eyes are on MagicLeap’s headset, a Mixed Reality headset and we think Mixed Reality is the future of VR headsets. Samsung is also working on its next version of Gear VR. So 2017 will be the year of new HMDs which will not be only VR but also have AR technology in them.
World Wide Web in VR
Imagine surfing internet in VR. That is the future of web. Samsung has already developed a VR web browser for its GearVR and there are many other available.
W3C, Mozilla and Google Chrome team are working on VR standards for web and working on projects like MozVR and ChromVR. Hopefully in 2017 they will start to introduce VR support in their browsers.
Haptics will bring feelings in Virtual Reality
Feeling in Virtual Reality is one of the biggest challenges in VR industry. Feeling virtual objects in VR can be a big game-changer.
Haptics and Robotics experts are working on great technologies to introduce feelings like coolness, hotness and pressure.
We are compiling a list of companies that are working on VR haptics will publish it soon.
VR will revolutionize Social Networking
VR social networking is also one of the trending topic in VR industry. We connect and communicate with our friends on social networks but we can’t meet with them. Imagine meeting with people living in other side of the World just like teleportation in the movies. Amazing isn’t?
Facebook is working on SocialVR for quite some time and tries to amaze users by showing glimpse of it in Oculus events. Mark demonstrated it in the last Oculus connect event and it was awesome.
In Social VR you can use 360 photo to teleport yourself with your friends to real world locations. You can play games like chess, cards, sword fight and can watch movies together. You can even take a selfie and share it on Facebook instantly. Through facial tracking you can also see your friends’ facial expression while they’re talking.
Another cool feature was that you can also do a video call through Facebook Messenger.
AltSpaceVR is also on a mission to bring VR in Social Networking. AltSpaceVR have similar features like Social VR you can meet friends have conversations, watch movies, play games and can also surf the web.
These are the top 5 virtual reality predictions for 2017 for VR Industry. Get ready to see more VR launches and exciting moments in 2017.
Happy New Year ! Have a great 2017 :)
Originally published at retinavr.co on January 1, 2017.