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XR Trends Update

About the XR Trends Update

In this report SURF provides an overview of the recent XR trends in education and research, given the developments in the last two years. Some developments have been rapid, while others have remained the same. In 7 short chapters you can scan the most important trends and get up to date!

The following 7 trends are central in the XR update:

  • The XR market remains in a state of flux
    Companies persist their efforts in finding the best product-market fit
  •  Keeping up with the push by the industry
    Public investment in XR is increasing to keep pace with the industry
  • Fewer breakthrough developments in XR
    Existing solutions mature and are becoming more standardised
  • The rising need for content development capabilities
    A lack of immersive content might hinder the widespread adoption of XR
  • Advancing engagement with detailed avatars
    Social VR seem to improve engagement, inclusivity and collaboration among users: the growing feeling of presence and having a shared virtual space contributes to one’s sense of belonging.
  • Towards seamless integration between physical and individual
    Companies are progressing in developing stylish and “normal-looking” AR glasses with (comparable) features similar to larger headsets
  •  Persistent pressure for public values and ethics
    Detailed scanning of the face, eye and body movement leads to questions of what is being collected, how it is processed and whether it is possible to remain anonymous or not.

Approach: qualitative and quantitive research

For this trend update, we gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. We conducted desk research, followed by a questionnaire and interviews with almost 100 respondents. In addition to our research, we also included the perspectives provided by four board members who were interviewed for SURF magazine’s article ‘Institutions take the lead in metaverse applications’ <LINK>. We wish you joy in reading this trend update!

Read the XR Trends Update now

More information?

Please contact xr@surf.nl

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