Is VR trendy? US teens drive up AR/VR headset usage after Apple Vision Pro launch

The AR/VR headsets scene has long been viewed as a bit of a special interest area. Even when Apple rolled out its Vision Pro at the start of the year, expectations for a major market shake-up were slim. But, according to a new survey from top investment bank Piper Sandler, as reported by 9to5Mac, VR headsets are catching on, at least with teenagers in the US. This recent survey showed that weekly VR device usage has ticked up from 10% to 13% since the fall of 2023. While those numbers might not sound earth-shattering, they are a sign that interest in VR tech is on the rise. Plus, now 33% of US teens say they own a VR device, which is up from 31% last year.

The Vision Pro is Apple’s first entry into the AR/VR market (Image Credit–PhoneArena)

This growing fascination with virtual reality seems to align with the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, which hit shelves in February with a hefty $3,500 price tag. The high cost is definitely a hurdle for widespread adoption, but Apple’s new offering seems to have piqued people’s interest in AR/VR headsets.

Meta, one of Apple’s main competitors in the AR/VR space, views Apple’s entry into the market as a validation of its own bets in the field. The company is optimistic that it will draw more consumers, especially since Meta’s latest Quest 3 headset is significantly more affordable than the Vision Pro.

Beyond the world of teens and VR, the survey also uncovered some intriguing insights into social media habits.

While TikTok remains the number one favorite social media platform, Instagram made a strong improvement this spring, taking the number two spot from Snapchat. Netflix returned as the leader in daily video consumption for teens with 29% share.

Instagram has seen significant growth since the fall of 2023, becoming the second favorite app among teens. TikTok still holds the first place, but it sees a slight decrease in popularity. However, the potential ban of TikTok in the US could quickly alter the current social media landscape.
In terms of video consumption, teens spend 29% of their time watching Netflix and 27% on YouTube. When it comes to music, 66% of teens have been using Spotify in the last six months, a slight decrease from last spring, but more teens (45%) are choosing to pay for Spotify now, up from 44%.

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