AllChinaTech News
Alvin Wang, China regional president of HTC VR, spoke at the Global Mobile Internet Conference (GMIC) in Beijing on Thursday where he asserted his belief that smartphones will be replaced by Virtual Reality (VR) within the next 20 years.
“2016 is the first year of VR, and the revolution is happening,” Wang said. “Welcome to the post-mobile era, where the production and sales of VR devices will surpass smartphones. The coming 20 years will be the era of VR.”
“Some people may think VR devices are just advanced game consoles. As a matter of fact, VR has a broad market apart from gaming,” Wang said.
Wang went on to describe VR’s applications that go beyond gaming and what is currently in the works in the industry:
“One area is video. Users can watch movies, concerts, and matches through a VR system, which will bring a user right into the atmosphere of the content they are watching. For instance, Zhang Yimou, one of the best-known directors in China, has announced a plan to collaborate with a Chinese VR content company on a new virtual reality content brand called SoReal.
“Another direction VR is headed is education. Education may be the largest usage area for VR in the future. We all know that when you experience something yourself, you can remember it more easily than reading about it in a book or simply watching a video. VR systems allow users to experience the nature of things, not just their appearance. People will enjoy this kind of immersive experience, and it represents the future of learning.”
In Wang’s eyes, immersion, the feeling of being inside and a part of another world, is the core of VR. An effective VR experience causes users to become unaware of their real surroundings and focus on their existence inside the virtual environment. Only if a VR company provides users with good immersive experiences can they gain a following and market share.
Wang’s remarks at GMIC weren’t the first time he’s made bold statements about the future or state of the VR industry.
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