After a weaker-than-expected 2022, IDC has lowered its forecast for AR/VR headsets this year.

Global shipments are now expected to reach 10.1 million units this year, according to the International Data Corporation Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker.

This will still mark a 14 per cent leap from a dire 2022 that saw just over 7 million units shipped.

Even this revised forecast could be too high, as IDC’s report seems to have been compiled before Alphabet quietly announced the death of Google Glass late last week.

IDC do expect the market to accelerate between now and 2027, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 32.6 per cent.

“The challenging macroeconomic climate is largely to blame for this year’s lowered expectations, although it will not impact all vendors equally,” said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager, Mobility and Consumer Device Trackers at IDC.

“Sony’s new PSVR2 and Apple’s foray into the space will help drive additional volume while new devices from Meta and Pico, expected towards the end of 2023, will build momentum for VR in 2024.

“Meanwhile, on the AR front, consumer-facing brands such as Xiaomi, Oppo, and TCL are all expected to drive consumer awareness for the category over the course of the next 6-18 months.”