Since the iPhone launched in 2007, mobile phones have become central to our work, entertainment, and social lives. But emerging immersive technologies like virtual reality now threaten to dethrone the phone's dominance. Here's why VR may soon eclipse mobile.
VR momentum is accelerating rapidly. The global market is projected to grow from $6.3 billion in 2021 to over $120 billion by 2028. Major tech giants like Meta, Apple and Samsung Google are investing billions into VR/AR development, signalling its strategic importance.
At the same time, mobile phone sales have stalled. Global shipments fell over 10% in 2022 - the largest ever annual decline. Consumers are holding onto handsets longer, with less desire to upgrade each year. Hell, I'm still using an iPhone 11 Pro and it's still going strong.
This declining demand contrasts sharply with VR's hockey stick growth.
VR will likely disrupt mobile's supremacy in two phases. In phase one, VR offers immersive streaming of the same content we use phones to consume - videos, social media, shopping. But in VR, experiences become viscerally lifelike and social. Just try having a virtual movie night with friends in VRChat versus on your phone.
Though I do wonder what the adoption of social VR on a small flat screen will be like, what do you think?
The next phase will see VR eclipse mobiles as our primary computing platform and gateway to new virtual worlds. Imagine bypassing your phone entirely and instead donning a lightweight pair of AR glasses. You can access apps and content overlaid seamlessly on reality or step into expansive 3D metaverse realms.
This mirrorworld transition may happen faster than expected. One survey found 40% of consumers expect VR/AR to replace their phone by 2030. With Apple's Vision Pro on the horizon, mobile's days already seem numbered.
The smartphone transformed communication and culture. But innovation waits for no one - especially not game-changing paradigm shifts like virtual reality. The immersive metaverse future beckons.
Mobile had a great run, but its time in the spotlight nears its end. byePhone
