Report Finds Strong Interest in VR

LOS ANGELES: The new Magid Media Futures survey reports that 42 percent of American consumers between the ages of 8 and 64 are very or somewhat interested in VR content, from movies and TV shows to gaming and travel experiences.

At the other end of the spectrum, 24 percent of those surveyed reported having no interest at all in VR.

For those with some interest, movies are the most compelling kinds of content for VR, respondents said, at 49 percent, followed by games (38 percent), virtual travel (35 percent), TV shows (33 percent), music videos (32 percent) and sports (31 percent).

In terms of hardware, Samsumg and PlayStation are leading the way. Of those who expressed some interest in VR, 29 percent said they’d buy the Samsumg VR gear in the next 12 months, and 26 percent said they’d purchase the PlayStation VR. Next on the list is Google Cardboard, at 20 percent, and then Oculus Rift at 14 percent.

“Virtual Reality has grabbed many consumers’ attention over the last few years,” said Mike Vorhaus, the president of Magid Advisors. “Our research shows that consumers understand how compelling VR is and that many different applications for VR interest Americans.”