We are putting the finishing touches on VRS 2017, the vital second edition of the Virtual Reality Strategy Conference in San Francisco on Oct. 25-26. The conference will attract hundreds of your colleagues and is being built on 7 Key Premises developed by our top-notch analyst team at Greenlight Insights:

1. VR/AR: Grow Fast or Die. That’s the subject of my Day 1 Keynote. The honeymoon period is over and any fad-like aspects are quickly falling by the wayside. But there is significant growth in the industry. We project spending on virtual reality content, software, and services by commercial buyers alone to reach $26.7 billion by 2022.
2. Record VR/AR Adoption by Enterprises:  A growing number of Enterprises End Users are adopting VR/AR and Immersive Experience apps for training, prototyping, inspecting, and other critical purposes. At VRS 2017, an entire day will be focused on Experiential Enterprise programming and innovative solutions such as VRgineers, VividWorks, GoTouch VR, Trick3D, and Ultrahaptics will take part in the VR/AR Solutions Showcase.
3. VR: The Next Frontier for Premium Advertising: In our latest Virtual IQ survey, 8 out of 10 marketing executives say they intend to increase their marketing spend dedicated to VR in the next 12 months. The spending is also going beyond short-lived, experimental ad budgets. 3 in 10 marketing execs saying campaigns are coming from advertising/media budgets. At VRS 2017, Framestore and Accenture Interactive will reveal how they are helping the world’s top brands create compelling experiences. Also, CognitiveVR, Retinad, and other innovative solutions will do a deep dive on measuring and learning from successful campaigns.
4. Consumer Spending on Experiences is Very Promising:  Consumers are shelling out top dollar for premium experiences. In fact, top-performing VR publishers are topping $1 ARPU. At VRS 2017, executives from top studios like The VR Company and Baobab Studios will share their insights on monetization and distribution strategy.

1. 5. Location-Based Strategies are Critical: In our last Virtual Industry Monitor survey, 42% of publishers and developers said it will be a major driver for them in the next 12 months. At VRS 2017, we are going deep with location-based virtual reality entertainment with an exciting new event: The VR Arcade Summit.
4. 6. Headset Sales Are Slow, But a Critical Mass of VR/AR Consumers is Developing:  Consumers aren't walking around with a headset perpetually stuck on their head. But AR apps and immersive content on iOS and Android devices will drive a powerful industry. Greenlight Insights expects spending on AR head-mounted displays to top $36 billion by 2023. VRS 2017 features hot sessions on Apple’s ARKit and how companies should prepare for the impending future of mobile augmented reality.
5. 7. The Wild Card in VR: AI’s Impact:  Artificial Intelligence is turning out to have a major impact on VR. It is already changing how top studios create VR/AR experiences. At VRS 2017, industry titans Nvidia and Amazon, and disrupters like Seattle’s Limitless Ltd and Boston’s Neurable will share insights into their use of cutting-edge AI for VR.

• In our industry, the changes are coming fast and furiously.  You really need to pay attention if you are going to stay ahead in this business.  At Greenlight Insights, we are proud to be producing the most cutting-edge research and industry analysis in the VR/AR industry, while helping to develop the industry’s largest and most diverse community.  We’re looking forward to connecting and learning with you at VRS 2017.

  Clifton Dawson
  CEO, Greenlight Insights