FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global shipments of standalone and tethered Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) headsets are expected to total 4.2 million units in 2018, up 31% from 2017.

Looking ahead to 2022, shipments for these headsets is expected to rise to 53.1 million units with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 88%, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Augmented and Virtual Reality Headset Tracker. Although screenless viewers have accounted for a significant portion of the market to date, these headsets will continue to lose relevance as volumes decline and growth drops to a CAGR of -1% over the 2018-2022 period.

While most consumer-centric AR apps are focused on smartphones and tablets, commercial AR is driving shipments for standalone and tethered AR headsets. IDC expects the category to surpass the 1 million mark by 2020, after which the growth will dramatically increase. As more vendors enter the market, additional use cases come to fruition, and prices decline, we expect total shipments in this category to reach 21.6 million by the end of 2022.

IDC