ARtillery Intelligence’s latest report, Spatial Computing: 2019 Lessons, 2020 Outlook examines 2019’s biggest lessons in spatial computing and the outlook for 2020. Subscribe for the full report. VRARA members get a discount.
They say that patience is a virtue. This applies to the current state of the spatial computing industry. After passing through the boom and bust cycle of 2016 and 2017, the last two years were more about measured optimism in the face of industry shakeout.
At the precipice of 2020, that leaves the question of where we are now? Optimism is still present but AR and VR players continue to be tested as high-flying prospects like ODG, Meta and Daqri dissolve. These events are resetting expectations on revenue outcomes.
But more than the ‘how much?” is a question of “when?” Market timing is quickly becoming a prominent factor to determine success of spatial computing players. This is a common factor in tech cycles historically. Spatial computing will be no different.
Speaking of history, spatial computing follows a pattern similar to the early 2000’s eCommerce bubble. Exuberance is followed by market correction, followed by the slow progression that eventually meets and exceeds early projections… but not until years later.
The good news is that this slow uphill progression has already started, and we believe the worst is behind us. Though the broader tech and media worlds have shrugged off AR and VR as fads that died in 2017, Industry subsectors are signaling growth by quietly gaining traction and revenue.
This includes AR-based advertising. ARtillery Intelligence projects it to grow from $453 million last year to $8.8 billion by 2023. This outlook follows the momentum of advertiser adoption, as well as the continued investment of tech leaders like Facebook and Snap.
There’s also a robust support industry germinating, including “building blocks” which are endemic to this period of any tech sector. Represented by tools such as Unity, Adobe Aero, and 8th Wall, AR-as-a-Service (ARaas) will be a major AR revenue category.
AR’s health also hinges on the outcome of Apple’s rumored AR glasses. Apple has a track record of mainstreaming emerging tech, and the AR industry is hoping for that halo effect. But based on signals we track, this will come a few years past the rumored 2020 launch.
Meanwhile, adjacent sectors will accelerate AR adoption and development. The broader wearables segment is growing rapidly, and will benefit AR by acclimating consumers to wearing tech on their bodies. 5G, self-driving cars and other areas will likewise feed into AR.
There are also lots of positive signals for market growth in VR. Facebook/Oculus continues to invest in hardware subsidies and loss-leader pricing to jumpstart a network effect. The result of this investment is high quality and consumer-friendly price points for Oculus Go and Quest.
What do all of these signals collectively tell us? And where do they point for 2020 outcomes? We’ll unpack the full list of market factors and 2019 lessons in this report, pursuant to illuminating likely paths for spatial computing in 2020. A robust ecosystem is (slowly) building.
Subscribe for the full report. VRARA members get a discount.
