Chinese start-up implements 'VR-gets-social' concept with 4G-ready goggles

Press members experience the "all-in-one" mobile VR goggles -- Scati ONE after the devices' launch event held by Focalmax in Beijing, on October 12, 2016. [Liu Zheng/chinadaily.com.cn]

Julian Tan, an analyst at industry consulting company GfK China, told China Daily that it seems that the "social" function has a more promising future for VR devices as socializing, unlike playing digital games, is a "rigid" demand for people.

"But both of them are important applications for VR/AR devices and the R&D is still in a very early stage. Content building and scenario creating are waiting for industrial conglomerates, such as Facebook, to push and develop in the future," Tan added.

Neo Zheng, a research manager of client system research at IDC, said that VR device sales rely on heavy users, and for both gaming and social consumers, the existing intent data transform patterns, including those enabled by both Wi-Fi and 4G network, still need to be improved.

"The 4G-ready function will become one of the new trends as more mobile VR devices hit the market and the system providers, such as Daydream, are deployed in more and more terminals," Zheng said.

According to China Daily, a latest market analysis report jointly issued by e-commerce giant JD.com Inc and research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that as the VR market develops rapidly, the fourth quarter will usher in full-blown competition.

IDC China managing director Kitty Fok said that the VR market would maintain its rapid growth, with the compound annual growth rate up to 75.5 percent from 2015 to 2020.

Luo Xian, founder of 7tin.cn, a domestic information agency of VR/AR industry, said that although the market witnessed a slight downturn this year, the capital invested in this area reached 2.2 billion yuan in the first quarter in China, up 83 percent compared to the overall number that reached last year.

He believes that with the appearance of products that are priced around 1,000 yuan and provide good enough user experience, "the market will be stimulated as more people are educated and become familiar to the industry."