The history of virtual reality (VR) headsets

The first VR headset: the Sensorama

The idea of donning a virtual reality headset and escaping is nothing new. Until recently, it was the stuff of science fiction. The arrival of an innovative, immersive technology and object has changed all that. What was the first VR headset? The story of virtual reality began in 1957 with filmmaker Morton Heilig. He invented a machine designed to immerse users in an imaginary world. Called "Sensorama", it gave viewers a new cinematic experience. Unfortunately, his invention never saw the light of day in his lifetime. Nevertheless, the foundations of virtual reality were laid. So how did virtual reality headsets evolve?

The evolution from 1968 to 2010

The first "functional" virtual reality headset appeared in 1968, thanks to Ivan Sutherland. It could display simple shapes superimposed on the real world. A great technological breakthrough, it remained in laboratory testing due to its excessive weight. From 1970 to 1991, other engineers continued to work on various projects, followed by a number of launch failures, including Sega's first VR gaming headset in 1991. In its wake, the Virtual Boy VR, launched in 1995 by Nintendo, was no great success either. It wasn't until 2010 that the first Oculus Rift VR headset prototype appeared, created by 18-year-old Palmer Luckey. "The device offers a 90° field of viewand manages to raise 2.4 million dollars in 2012 on Kickstarter" according to the virtual-reality.com article. But when will the first virtual reality headset actually hit the market?

The first commercialization of virtual reality headsets

It was in 2014 that Mark Zukerberg bought Oculus for $2 billion. A risky bet at the time. This was followed by considerable investment from Facebook, which launched the first commercial version of the Oculus Rift in March 2016. This version marked the start of a real democratization of virtual reality . Despite a still high price tag, virtual reality headsets are gradually becoming accessible to the general public. Since 2016, "VR headsets have finally become a reality. Electronics giants like HTC, Sony, HP and Samsung are getting to grips with the technology". Barely a year after the launch of the Oculus Rift, headset offerings are flooding the market with their own virtual reality headsets with one objective: to make headsets accessible to as many people as possible, with more affordable prices. It was from this point on that virtual reality headsets began to expand rapidly.

The expansion of virtual reality headsets

The evolution of virtual reality headsets: telling figures

Since the arrival on the market of the Oculus and then the HTC, a number of increasingly innovative variants have been developed (the Oculus Rift, the Oculus Quest and the HTC vive). (The Oculus Rift, the Oculus Quest and the HTC vive.) The year 2021 marks a real turning point for virtual reality headsets. According to the PwC report, "the virtual reality market achieved global sales of US$1.8 billion in 2020, an increase of 31.7% on 2019". By 2025, the market is expected to reach $6.9 billion. According to the report, this growth has been driven by the arrival on the market of 2nd-generation VR headsets, in particular the Oculus Quest 2 (now Meta Quest 2). Smaller, lighter and more affordable for consumers, it's also a fully autonomous headset. A small revolution on the market.

Meta Quest 2

According to counterpoint research, headset deliveries almost tripled in the first quarter of 2021. Meta alone shipped a total of 4.6 million Quest 2 headsets, a market share of 75%. Impressive, isn't it? That's a record for a single model. So Meta shouldn't be under any pressure for the rest of the year. However, the company needs to move up a gear if it is to maintain its number-one position. Sony is developing a second-generation PlayStation VR headset for the PS5, whileApple and Microsoft are preparing affordable mixed reality technologies for the coming years. Virtual reality should therefore continue to develop. The autonomous headset revolution is underway.

The evolution of virtual reality headsets: the arrival of autonomous headsets and new generations

Autonomous headsets

With the arrival of standalone headsets like the Meta Quest and HTC Vive Focus, access to virtual reality has become much simpler. Much more malleable, they are above all totally independent. There's no longer any need for computer-connected cables to prevent us from enjoying a truly disconnected experience. As the virtual-reality.com article points out: Equipped with their own processors, graphics cards, storage chips and batteries, they don't need to be connected to a third-party device . As a result, these devices not only have the advantage of operating wirelessly, but can even be carried in a backpack with ease and used outdoors" - a real technological breakthrough. In addition to autonomous virtual reality headsets, other technologies are also likely to emerge in the next few years.

Between the autonomous headsets and the upcoming virtual reality glasses, there are many innovations that pave the way for a strong democratization of these technologies.

New generations

It's for this reason that new versions of headsets have rapidly appeared, as the various players seek to stay one step ahead of their competitors. Performance, resolution, refresh rate, motion tracking, value for money - all these features are ways for the various players to offer a more effective headset. Between the Meta Quest 3, the HTC Vive Pro 2, the HTC Vive XR Elite, the Pico 4, the Sony PlayStation VR2, or soon the Apple Vision Pro, consumers have the choice.

The evolution of virtual reality headsets: Apple enters the fray

Apple glass

"Apple excels when it comes to transforming promising competitor technologies into successful innovations," confirms the Phonandroid article. These new glasses could profoundly change the way we communicate. We could capture video and sound, and maybe even play games at the same time. As the project is still far from being finalized, these are just guesses. However, thanks to Youtuber John Prosser, who claims to have been able to test the prototype, a few technical aspects are revealed:

• They would have a LiDAR scanner to measure distances accurately.
• A technology would allow to modulate the opacity and the color of the glasses according to the ambient light.
• A dashboard called Starboard that allows control with gestures.
• and many other options.

More recently, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested that Apple's connected glasses would not be launched until 2026, or even 2027. Affected by technical problems, they have been put on indefinite hold. You'll have to be patient to get your hands on these connected glasses.

On the other hand, Apple's mixed reality headset is just around the corner.

Apple Vision Pro

Presented on June 5, 2023, this mixed-reality headset will actually see the light of day. In fact, it will be released on February 2. As a reminder, and as mentioned in our glossary, mixed reality fuses elements of the real and virtual worlds to create a unique immersive experience. Equipped with a new operating system, vision OS, Apple has declared that this hardware marks the"beginning of space computing". This brand-new product from the Cupertino firm will cost $3,500. A particularly expensive price, given that the Meta Quest 3 is available for around €550 and also offers a mixed reality experience.

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

When did virtual reality come into being?

Virtual reality began to emerge around 1957, when researchers and scientists began exploring concepts and early prototypes of this immersive technology.

In 1962 to be precise, Morton Heilig created the Sensorama, an immersive device enabling users to watch stereoscopic films, smell odors and feel vibrations, offering an early immersive experience. This can be considered the first virtual reality headset.

What does the future hold for virtual reality?

The future of virtual reality is promising and seems to be constantly evolving. According to figures from market research firm Mordor Intelligence, the VR sector should weigh in at $67.12 million in 2023 and reach $202.70 million in 2028, representing an average annual growth rate of 24.74%. Virtual reality is already having an impact on our society through a variety of uses, and is set to continue to do so over the years.

What are virtual reality headsets for?

A virtual reality headset is an electronic device that immerses the user in immersive virtual environments. It is mainly used to provide interactive and sensory experiences where the user can interact with a simulated three-dimensional virtual world.

What's the best virtual reality headset in the world?

It's difficult to designate a single virtual reality headset as "the best" in the world, as this depends on the specific needs of each user and particular criteria such as quality, functionality, and intended use. However, some VR headsets have received praise for their performance and advanced features. These include models such as the Meta Quest 3, HTC Vive Pro 2, Apple Vision Pro, HTC Vive XR Elite, Pico 4, and Sony PlayStation VR2.

When will Apple's mixed reality headset be released?

The Apple Vision Pro headset will be released on February 2, 2024.