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STOCKHOLM—A vast number of people are excited about the possibilities of virtual and augmented reality, but the TV industry might not be thrilled by some of the findings in Ericsson’s latest Consumer Lab report, “Merged Reality.” According to the report, a number of consumers believe that virtual screens will eventually replace TVs, starting perhaps as soon as next year.
The lab report indicates that as many as half of the early adopters of VR have increased their video usage in VR. More than a third (37 percent) of the respondents have shifted some of their video viewing on physical screens to video experiences in VR. Watching videos will be the most popular activity with VR—even more than gaming—according to more than half of those who took part in the report, with a quarter saying that within the next year they could be watching traditional TV/movie content simply through a VR headset and might not even need to own a physical screen.
Much of this is tied to VR/ARs development with 5G. The report indicates that 36 percent of respondents that 5G is needed to provide VR/AR mobility through a bandwidth network, while 30 percent think 5G will enable headsets to become wireless.
Additional findings showed that it wasn’t just the TV industry that VR could be affecting, seven out of 10 in the report expected VR/AR to have an impact on media, education, work, social interaction, travel and retail.
To see the full report from Ericsson, click here.
