VR Hand Tracking: More Immersive and Accessible Than Ever

Hand tracking in virtual reality has been a game changer in recent years. This technology allows users to interact with the VR environment using only their hands, making the experience more immersive and natural. With both hardware and software advancements from VR vendors in recent years, it's no surprise that the demand for hand tracking technology in VR is on the rise, especially in business use cases like VR training. In this blog post, we will discuss the increase in devices supporting hand tracking in VR and the price decrease of VR headsets that support this technology.

According to the data provided by VRcompare, the percentage of VR devices supporting hand tracking has increased significantly over the last two years. In 2021, out of a total of 19 VR devices that entered the market, only 4 of them supported hand tracking, representing a 21% support rate. However, in 2022, out of 15 VR devices, 7 of them supported hand tracking, resulting in a 46% support rate, a 119% increase compared to the previous year. Moreover, out of the last 5 VR devices (HTC Vive XR Elite, PlayStation VR2, Pico 4 Enterprise, Lynx R1, Meta Quest Pro) that entered the market, 4 of them supported hand tracking, with only PlayStation VR2 not supporting it for obvious reasons - losing your tracking while gaming is just not an option. It's interesting to note that all of them are major VR players so the standard, at least in our eyes, is set for the future.

This trend shows that the demand for hand tracking technology in VR is increasing, and manufacturers are responding to this demand by integrating this feature into their devices. The ability to interact with virtual objects using natural hand movements makes the VR experience more immersive and intuitive, making it an essential feature for VR enthusiasts.

Another notable trend is the decrease in the average price of VR headsets, especially those that support hand tracking. In 2021, the average price of a VR device was $3,330, while in 2022, it dropped to $2,210, representing a 33% price drop. The average price of a VR device that supports hand tracking in 2021 was $12,122, while in 2022, it dropped to $745, a staggering 93% price drop.

However, it is essential to note that the $38,500 price of one VR device in 2021 significantly raised the average. If we exclude this device, the average price of a VR device supporting hand tracking in 2021 was $3,330, which is still 77% higher than the average price in 2022. The decrease in the average price of VR headsets that support hand tracking makes them more accessible to a wider audience, allowing more people to experience the benefits of hand tracking technology in VR.

The combination of increasing support for hand tracking in VR devices and the decreasing price of VR headsets that support this technology is significant news for VR enthusiasts. Hand tracking technology provides a more immersive and intuitive way of interacting with virtual objects, and the decreasing price of VR headsets makes it more accessible to a wider audience. These trends are set to continue in the coming years, making hand tracking in VR an indispensable feature for an immersive and natural VR experience.

If you're interested in implementing hand tracking interactions in your VR application or looking for ways to speed up your development process, don't hesitate to contact us.

Disclaimer: The data used in this blog post was provided by https://vr-compare.com/vr, a trusted source for comparing VR devices and their features. We acknowledge that the accuracy and reliability of the data are solely the responsibility of the source.