yeti-2016年虚拟现实（VR）用户调查报告（英文）-20页-7mb

The State of Virtual Reality - 2016 Summary

Core Content

The 2016 survey conducted by Yeti LLC aimed to understand the challenges and opportunities for VR product developers across various industries. It gathered insights from over 100 developers, including those from VR-centric companies and those exploring VR in other sectors. The survey covered topics such as industry adoption, understanding of VR development, project timelines, platform preferences, obstacles to development, and the likelihood of outsourcing VR projects.

Main Points and Key Insights

VR Across Industries

• Top Industries: Entertainment, education, healthcare, travel, and arts are the primary industries where VR is expected to see significant growth.
• Under-Explored Industries: Government, corporate services, agriculture, non-profit, finance, and legal sectors are less likely to adopt VR in the short term.
• Examples: Companies like EON Reality, the University of Minnesota's Interactive Visualization Lab, and Sotheby's are experimenting with VR in these sectors.

Understanding VR Development

• Developer Knowledge: 60% of respondents have a very good or excellent understanding of VR development, while 40% only have average or below-average knowledge.
• New Landscape: The lack of comprehensive documentation and best practices means developers often have to innovate and create their own guidelines.

VR Project Time Horizons

• Current Projects: 85% of respondents have already started or plan to start VR projects within 1-2 years.
• Timeline Expectations: The majority expect VR projects to begin within a short timeframe, with few expecting delays beyond a year.

Platform & Device Wars

• Popular Platforms: Cardboard, HTC Vive, Samsung Gear, and Oculus Rift are the most commonly cited platforms.
• Emerging Devices: PlayStation VR and Magic Leap are less popular, possibly due to their unreleased status or limited versatility.
• Competition: The VR platform landscape is still competitive, with no clear winner yet.

Primary Obstacles

• Common Challenges: Lack of budget and development resources, limited development bandwidth, and difficulty in determining strategic direction for VR projects.
• Less Common Issues: Technological limitations and internal skepticism about VR's value are not as significant obstacles.

VR-Capable Development Resources

• Team Composition: Most companies have 1-4 VR-capable developers, with only 9% having 5 or more.
• Outsourcing Trends: 24% of respondents have no VR-capable developers, indicating a significant reliance on external resources.

Optimism for VR Adoption

• Short-Term Optimism: 85% of respondents are optimistic about VR becoming mainstream in the near future.
• Investment Evidence: Over $4 billion has been invested in VR startups since 2010, showing strong market confidence.

Outlook on AR vs. VR

• Long-Term Optimism: Respondents showed greater long-term optimism for AR than for VR, with 54% more confident in AR's future.
• Future Uncertainty: 12% were unsure about the long-term potential of either AR or VR.

Outsourcing VR Development

• Likelihood of Outsourcing: Over 50% of respondents are likely to outsource VR development, with 13.5% extremely likely.
• Reasons for Outsourcing: Limited in-house expertise and resources are the main drivers of this trend.

Key Takeaways

• VR is expanding beyond entertainment into education, healthcare, travel, and arts.
• Best practices for VR development are still emerging, allowing for creativity and innovation.
• Most VR projects are either already underway or expected to start within the next 1-2 years.
• Platform and device competition is ongoing, with no clear winner yet.
• Strategic direction and resource allocation are the main challenges in VR development.
• Companies typically have limited in-house VR expertise, leading to increased outsourcing.
• There is strong optimism about VR's mainstream adoption, supported by significant investment.
• Augmented Reality (AR) is viewed as having a more promising long-term future than VR.
• Outsourcing is a common strategy for managing VR development challenges.

Next Steps for Product Developers

1. Embrace Optimism: Actively invest in VR despite the current uncertainty.
2. Learn and Lead: Use existing documentation and peer experiences to guide development, while also pioneering new approaches.
3. Educate Stakeholders: Share compelling evidence of VR's value to secure internal support.
4. Allocate Resources: Ensure proper resource allocation, including potential outsourcing.
5. Ensure Cross-Platform Compatibility: Support multiple devices and platforms to maximize reach.
6. Plan Long-Term: Consider how VR and AR can inform each other's development.
7. Leverage External Expertise: Bring in specialists for complex VR projects to enhance quality and efficiency.

About Yeti

Yeti LLC is a product-focused design and development studio in San Francisco, known for its work with major clients like Google, Sony, and MIT. It offers product research, design, rapid prototyping, and training services, and provides resources and insights through its blog and resource center.