Dublin, March 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Smart Augmented Reality Glasses: Market Analysis and Forecasts " report to their offering.
The global market for smart AR glasses will grow from 150,000 unit shipments in 2016 to 22.8 million units annually by 2022. These volumes will drive device revenue growth from $138.6 million in 2016 to $19.7 billion by 2022.
This report covers the various types of smart AR glasses, from simple assisted reality glasses to MR holographic displays and smart helmets. The different application markets for smart AR glasses that are covered in depth include consumer, enterprise, industrial, public safety, and healthcare. Competitive analysis of the various hardware and software vendors is provided, along with strategic recommendations for the various players in the value chain. This report also provides market forecasts ranging from 2016 to 2022 for smart AR glasses with data segmented by region, application market, and connectivity technology.
The market for smart augmented reality (AR) glasses is in transition. Assisted reality headsets like Google Glass have not delivered on their promise, and remain niche products that continue to see pilot deployments in industrial and enterprise settings without any meaningful volumes. Slow sales cycles are partly to blame, but the market has also seen the emergence of a more compelling AR headset technology, that of mixed reality (MR). While assisted reality simply overlays digital information on your vision, MR has positional tracking and depth sensors to provide a more immersive experience, enabling interactions with holographic objects.
Microsoft HoloLens, which launched a developer kit in 2016, is one of the first true MR headsets in the market, and has been gaining momentum in commercial use cases across the enterprise, industrial, defense, and educational markets. The question remains if Microsoft will be able to maintain the momentum, or whether it ends up like Google Glass, which failed to emerge beyond the commercial use cases.
Overall, the market for AR glasses will have different entry points with devices like HoloLens and Magic Leap at the top, modular devices like ODG's R9 and Occipital Bridge in the middle, followed by assisted reality glasses at the lower end. The high-end and medium-range smart AR glasses are likely to find usage in enterprise and consumer settings, while the lower-end assisted reality headsets with their glanceable interfaces are ideal for industrial usage where full-screen AR can be a distraction.
Market Issues
The Reality-Virtuality Continuum
Market Drivers
- Pokémon Go Opened the Door for Outdoor Augmented Reality
- Augmented Reality Content Is the Key to Mass Adoption of Augmented Reality Headsets
- Social, Collaborative Entertainment Will Drive Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality into Living Rooms
- Hands-Free Is a Valuable Resource for Workplace Applications
- First-Person View Will Benefit Workplace Communications
- Smart Glasses Can Improve Industrial Workflows
- Collaborative Augmented Reality Is a Powerful Tool for Education and the Enterprise
Market Barriers
- Social Acceptability and Ergonomics Key Issues to Overcome
- Increasing Automation, Artificial Intelligence, and Use of Robotics in Industrial Processes Could Impact Augmented Reality Headset Adoption
- Narrow Field of View Is a Major Drawback for Mixed Reality Headsets
- Manufacturing and Cost Challenges for Waveguide-Based Mixed Reality Headsets
Key Applications
- Collaborative Office Tool
- Three-Dimensional Modeling for Design, Architecture, and Animation
- Retail
- Desktop Replacement
Industrial
- Warehouse/Logistics Applications
- Manufacturing Shop Floor Inspection
- Workflow Improvement
- Mobile Workforce Management and Field Guidance
- Control Data Visualization
Public Safety
Sports
Healthcare
- Others
- Prosumer
- Defense
- Education
Companies Mentioned
- DAQRI
- Epson
- Kopin Corporation
- Lenovo
- Magic Leap
- Meta Glasses
- Microsoft
- Occipital
- Osterhaut Design Group (ODG)
- Recon Instruments (Part of Intel)
- Vuzix
For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/wslcpl/smart_augmented