The virtual reality (VR) ecosystem is broad and complex with companies developing a wide-range of technologies, devices, systems, content and applications, but 2016 is the year that all of the elements start to come together.
Virtual reality and augmented reality -- the latter is a blend of real and virtual environments -- will grow from $4.5 billion in 2015 to $105.2 billion in 2020, according to a study by BBC Research.
Wireless and wireline service providers need to be ready for the impact that VR will have on their networks, including fixed networks, WiFi, the radio access network (RAN) and mobile core, according to a recent Heavy Reading report. While the value chain for VR is still a work in progress, it’s important to understand the layers of technology that make up virtual reality. Here’s a look at those layers.