Google sells 5 million virtual reality headsets

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In the first half of this year, virtual reality helmets from three leading companies will be launched one after another. The virtual reality market is gradually booming. Among them, Google's (Weibo) simple virtual reality helmet "Google Cardboard" seems to be forgotten by the media. Recently, Google announced a set of statistics on Google Cardboard, showing that the product has created a virtual reality application ecosystem.

Virtual reality helmets are mainly divided into two categories. One is high-performance helmets represented by Sony and Oculus, which need to be used with gaming computers or game consoles. The other is simple helmets represented by Google Cardboard and Samsung Electronics Gear VR, which need to be inserted into a smartphone.

According to the Los Angeles Times website, on Wednesday, the Google Cardboard team announced that a total of 5 million sets of Google Cardboard have been sold so far (the product was launched 19 months ago).

According to statistics, in the Google Play software store, Google Cardboard users have downloaded a total of 25 million virtual reality applications, and the total duration of virtual reality videos watched by users through Google Cardboard is as high as 350,000 hours.

Google Cardboard is made of very cheap cardboard, which costs only about $20. The low price has made this product a hot seller. In comparison, Samsung Electronics' simple helmet Gear VR is priced at as high as $100.

High-performance virtual reality helmets are priced even higher. For example, the pre-order price for an Oculus helmet is $599, and you also need to buy a gaming computer for more than $1,000. So far, Sony and HTC have not announced the specific prices of virtual reality helmets.

Data released by Google Cardboard shows that the product already has a large number of users, but the landscape of the virtual reality market is changing rapidly. If consumers turn to virtual reality helmets with better quality and better user experience, Google's cheap helmets will be at risk.

A recent virtual reality product survey conducted by market research firm Frank N. Magid Associates showed that among video game enthusiasts, they are more willing to buy high-end, high-quality virtual reality helmets rather than the low-priced Google Cardboard.

A quarter of respondents said they had heard of Oculus' Rift headset, followed by Samsung Electronics' Gear VR. Sony's PlayStation VR had a brand awareness coverage of 20%, while only 17% of respondents had heard of Google Cardboard.

After Google Cardboard became a hot seller, a large number of cheap cardboard DIY virtual reality helmets appeared in some markets, priced at around 20 to 30 US dollars, which highlighted the lack of core technological advantages of Google products. However, according to foreign media reports last week, Google's attitude towards the virtual reality market has changed dramatically, and it has decided to tap into this market with better products.

Google has issued a job posting, planning to recruit R&D and design talents for independent virtual reality helmets. The quality and performance of the product will be much better than Google Cardboard, and it is expected to compete equally with Sony and Oculus' virtual reality helmets.