By Nadav Avni, Chief Marketing Officer at Radix Technologies

The Virtual Reality (VR) market is heading for another boom, with increasing prominence in businesses. The industry generated $4.84 billion in 2021 and saw 6 million VR headsets sold, and it is now poised to earn more than $12 billion by 2024. Improved technology is making these devices better and cheaper, so headset sales are projected to more than double by 2024. As companies jump on the VR bandwagon for training, entertainment, and even sales, and marketing, the need for device management software will become more pronounced.

Expect 2022 to usher in a new era for virtual reality. As technology continues to evolve, users are seeing more parts of their work or social lives getting a digital makeover. Let’s look at three trends setting the Virtual Reality market’s direction for the next few years and then explore how device management software can help your business utilize VR technology efficiently and securely.

From Social Media to the Metaverse

The first big story driving VR news in late 2021/early 2022 was social media standout Facebook renaming itself Meta. By doing so, the company revealed its grand design to move from social platforms to the so-called “metaverse.” On December 9, 2021, Meta launched Horizon Worlds, a virtual world for users with Meta’s Oculus VR headsets and motion controllers. Inside Horizon Worlds, users can roam through 3D-generated worlds to play games, collaborate with coworkers, attend virtual events, or just plain socialize.

By February 2022, Meta reported that Horizon Worlds (and Horizon Venues, Meta’s virtual events platform) now has 300,000 active users. It also now hosts 10,000 separate worlds created by more than 20,000 creators. While Horizon Worlds remains in its early stages, you can expect its user base to pick up once more activities are available and celebrities latch on to the idea. When this happens, expect increased demand for VR equipment such as headsets and motion controllers. In the future, Meta is also eyeing potential use for face and eye trackers.

Major Hardware Improvements

As technology continues to advance, VR equipment will improve in almost every aspect. The chips running the devices are now faster and more powerful, leading to better performance and faster reaction times. Design improvements also mean headsets are lighter and more comfortable to wear, which means users can wear them for longer periods.

In addition, improvements in the manufacturing process and raw material sourcing mean more affordable headsets and controllers. For example, Oculus is now offering its Quest 2 VR headsets for $299, down from Quest’s debut cost of $399 or $499, depending on storage size. With lower prices, companies can now build their fleet of VR equipment and even add reliable device management software for their entire training programs. Meanwhile, more gamers can now join in on the fun of being in the metaverse.

Due to the growing popularity of VR applications in many major industries, the number of software developers is also growing exponentially. Companies in need of custom VR software can now partner with developers at cost-effective rates.

Increased Demand for Enterprise VR

Even before the pandemic, many corporations found that VR-assisted training programs are often more effective in retaining training knowledge among workers. In addition, VR training programs are highly cost-effective and scalable. Trainees don’t have to travel to headquarters to receive training; instead, workers from different branches can meet in a virtual environment and get the instruction they need.

With simulators, companies won’t need to shell out recurring costs for traditional hands-on training like fuel and other consumables. VR-based training can also help reduce the wear and tear of actual company equipment—trainees can master the use of the equipment in a virtual setting first, before receiving permission to handle actual company machinery.

Corporate offices can also use virtual reality technology to simulate accidents, emergencies, and crisis situations. VR training for these scenarios can be repeated over and over again to drill down the procedures. In contrast, simulating emergencies in real life can be very time-consuming and expensive.

As Demand for VR Technology Rises, the Need for VR Device Management Software Becomes Necessary

Like any other hardware device, VR equipment will need continuous monitoring and regular maintenance to keep it in optimum working condition. Using default device management software often won’t be enough to ensure a company’s VR equipment remains updated and secure.

A fleet of VR equipment is a substantial investment, so companies should also invest in reliable and powerful device management software. The ideal software should have no problem connecting remotely to your line of VR devices via cloud access when performing routine maintenance, updates, or security procedures. Ideally, the software should run via Amazon Web Services (AWS) to reduce latency and redundancy and to provide end-to-end security encryption. It should also have no problem keeping up with global standards for data privacy such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA (for medical devices).

The device management solution should also remain device-agnostic and accept connections from various devices running on different operating systems. Oftentimes, enterprises have multiple brands and models working on the same team.

Low-Level Device Management and Security

Many employees will be drawn to VR devices out of curiosity, and some may be tempted to handle the equipment without authorization. This is why it’s important for corporate system administrators and support teams to maintain control over the devices.

Administrators should assign various user access levels befitting the job description. For instance, support teams can have access to the system folders and settings in order to repair, maintain, and update services. Sales, marketing, and management teams can access and analyze user data from each fleet device, then use the insights to develop their next set of plans and programs. End-users and trainees can have restricted access limited to using the device for specific training, onboarding, or simulation exercises; to maintain device integrity, end-users won’t have access to other programs, apps, and analytics data. Remote connectivity allows system administrators to lock, freeze, or disable VR device functions in cases of unauthorized access or outright theft.

Virtual reality devices create hyper realistic simulations of real work scenarios, helping workers master certain complex tasks, gain familiarity with processes, or simply get to know their work environment better. While this can be a cost-effective way to offer training and onboarding, operating a fleet of VR devices presents a substantial investment for a company. It’s important that these devices come with reliable VR device management software that can keep them performing in their optimal condition.