• by Chuck Martin , December 20, 2017

The number of virtual reality and augmented reality headsets is set to grow from 10 million units this year to 59 million in 2021, according to new research.

VR screenless viewers, such as Samsung Gear VR, will account for 15% of the entire market in 2021, according to the study by the International Data Corporation. That will be a drop from 59% this year.

“The VR market, young as it is, is in the midst of a crucial transition as buyers are gravitating towards tethered headset and PC or game console bundles that offer advanced tracking and higher fidelity rather than settling for low-cost headset and smartphone bundles," stated Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst for IDC's mobile device trackers. "This bodes well for the entire VR ecosystem as the improved experience of a dedicated device draws a more dedicated audience."

Augmented reality headsets are projected to grow to 16 million units shipping globally by 2021.

Cardboard-like VR viewers, such as Google Cardboard, are not included in the forecast.