Are Indians Ready for AR and VR?

Dear Reader,

There was no edition of The Signal Brief last week as I was away. Thank you for your patience.

I was actually on a family vacation in China. And in Shanghai, I came across something that connects to this week’s episode. During an evening walk along Shanghai’s bright, crowded Nanjing Road, I saw a massive black tent stamped “Virtual Reality and AI.” Inside were rows of demo booths: VR sports, touchscreen car interfaces, and even a VR “therapy” station with a long queue. I paid five yuan and decided to give it a shot. 

The organisers helped me wear a bulky white headset and asked me to lie on a reclining chair. For the next ten minutes, I watched short clips of snowy mountain ranges, pine forests, shimmering blue water and white-sand beaches, all accompanied by meditative music.

The experience was underwhelming. I did not feel calmer. But that is not how Sahil Gupta, a 38-year-old tech journalist, describes his experience with Apple’s Vision Pro.

“It’s incredible. You can go into the Jurassic period and be surrounded by dinosaurs. You can be on the Moon or in Hawaii,” he told me.

When Sahil first got his headset in 2023, he used it for seven or eight hours a day, including for work. But the headset is heavy, and as of last week, he had not picked it up in two months.

Beyond the bulk, VR headsets remain expensive for the average Indian consumer. Meta’s good models cost upwards of Rs 30,000, while Apple’s Vision Pro costs $3,500.

The industry is now pivoting; it’s placing its bet on augmented reality (AR) instead.

Think smart glasses that overlay translations on what a speaker is saying. AR does not take you out of the real world. Rather, it adds digital elements to what you already see.

Big companies like Jio, Noise and boAt are entering the space, which could push prices down. Abdul Saroor, co-founder of Tesseract, which is partnering with Jio, says the next few years will see a rapid spread of AR devices.

So what is the allure of VR and AR devices? And how is India negotiating this space? To find out, check out the latest episode of The Signal Brief. You can find us on Youtube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

I’d love to hear what you thought! Write to us at [email protected], or reach me directly on Instagram or Twitter at @thesignaldotco, or via email at [email protected].

Thanks for listening, and have a rejuvenating weekend.

Best,
Kudrat
on behalf of The Core

THE CORE POLL

MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS

Myth: Pet insurance doesn’t cover everything

Many pet owners worry that insurance won’t cover everything, especially routine care or pre-existing conditions. While that’s true in many cases, most insurers now offer wellness add-ons for preventive care like vaccines, dental cleanings, and check-ups, giving you more complete coverage. View Money’s pet insurance list to find plans for as low as $10 a month.

Protect your pet

Get Real Estate Training from Wharton Experts

Gain the skills top firms demand with the Wharton Online + Wall Street Prep Real Estate Investing & Analysis Certificate.

In 8 weeks, learn from leaders at Blackstone, KKR, Ares, and more while analyzing real deals.

Join 5,000+ graduates. Save $300 with code SAVE300.

Get the Brochure

🤝 Reach 80k+ CXOs? Partner with us.

✉️ Got questions or feedback? Reach out.

💰 Like The Core? Support us.