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ar/vr

Exclusive: Nearly one quarter of Americans have used a VR or AR headset

But just 28% of Americans said they’re excited about the tech.
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Dan McCarthy

less than 3 min read

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Emerging Tech Brew polled America (again) a few weeks ago. Together with The Harris Poll, we surveyed a nationally representative group of 2,010 US adults about virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR).

Top-line takeaways

23% of Americans have tried a VR or AR headset, which is higher than what we were expecting. Of this group:

  • 31% own a headset, 24% have used a family member’s gear, and 13% have tried hardware provided by an experiential venue/retailer.
  • Millennials are the most prolific users, with 42% having tried the tech. Gen Z was the next-highest demo at 29%.
  • 90% of those who have tried a headset say they’re likely to use one again, with two-thirds saying they will definitely do so.

We didn’t break out the divide between trying an AR and a VR headset. Given the early development stage of AR hardware, it’s safe to assume that most respondents who have tried a headset did so with VR…

...But we did ask about mobile AR. 44% of consumers say they’ve used an AR feature on a smartphone. The demographic splits here are telling: 71% and 72% of Gen Z and Millennials, respectively, say they’ve used mobile AR. By comparison, 42% of Gen X and only 15% of Boomers have done so.

🔮Looking forward🔮

  • How excited are you? Compared with those who have tried a VR/AR device, the general public isn’t as enthusiastic about embracing the technology. 28% of all respondents say they’re excited about VR/AR, 28% say they’re neutral, and 34% are not excited.
  • How much would you pay? 41% would be willing to buy a headset; and one quarter of this group would be willing to pay $500 or more. For reference, the Oculus Quest 2 retails for $299.
  • To bundle or not to bundle? Of those interested in owning a headset eventually, 46% would prefer paying upfront with a lump-sum. 36% would prefer a monthly subscription fee; 18% would prefer to pay per session.
  • What’s your go-to brand? 35% named Apple as their first-choice company to buy a device from, while only 5% named Facebook.

Bottom line: Big Tech and many other metaverse aspirants are spending heavily to develop technologies that are far from must-haves for most consumers. But to paraphrase Steve Jobs, sometimes customers don’t know what they want until you show it to them.—RD

Keep up with the innovative tech transforming business

Tech Brew keeps business leaders up-to-date on the latest innovations, automation advances, policy shifts, and more, so they can make informed decisions about tech.