Global mobile augmented reality (AR) user devices 2019-2024

As per recent data, by 2024 there will be an estimated 1.7 billion mobile augmented reality (AR) user devices worldwide, a rise of 1.5 billion from the 200 million seen in 2015. In 2022, there will be an estimated 1.1 billion mobile AR user devices worldwide.

AR headsets

In contrast to virtual reality (VR), which creates an artificial environment, AR simply makes use of the existing environment by overlaying new information on top of it. In AR, the information about the surrounding real world is made available to the user for information and/or interaction through the use of headsets. By 2023, it is anticipated that global AR headset shipments will reach over 30 million units, over 12 times the number expected to be shipped in 2020.

Metaverse

Regarded as the next iteration of the internet, the metaverse is where the physical and digital worlds come together. As an evolution of social technologies, the metaverse allows digital representations of people, avatars, to interact with each other in a variety of settings. Whether it be at work, in an office, going to concerts or sports events, or even trying on clothes, the metaverse provides a space for endless, interconnected virtual communities using virtual reality (VR) headsets, AR glasses, smartphone apps, or other devices.