Gitex Shopper: A new reality, virtually

dubai - VR technology is gaining currency among shoppers, especially gamers

The UAE's mammoth tech fair - Gitex Shopper 2017 - has a unique way of reaching out to consumers and giving them a feel of new products being launched and in demand. A visit to the Samsung stand allows people to experience the 'Gear VR Theatre with 4D' for free. This is just one of the examples of how virtual reality (VR) products are drawing consumers at the fair.

Nilesh Khalkho, chief executive, Sharaf DG, said: "Currently, the two most popular VR devices that customers in the UAE are buying are the Playstation VR and HTC Vive VR. The PS VR is priced at approximately Dh1,500 while the HTC Vive costs around Dh2,600. The PS VR outsells the HTC Vive 3:1 due to this pricing differential and the popularity of Playstation's platform and games. We have seen adoption of Playstation VR slowly improving with games such as VR Worlds, Resident Evil, Star Dust and Drive Club which we are selling as bundles with the VR kit. Further game content will be required to drive the adoption of VR."

The annual spend on augmented reality (AR) and VR in the Mena region is set to top $6 billion annually by 2020. The UAE Ministry of Education is already rolling out VR in classrooms to enhance learning while the Jumeirah Hospitality Group offers a 360 degree experience of rooms before guests arrive.

In 2016, visitors travelled from 87 countries to source AR and VR technology and 28,478 visitors bought the technology. Among the visitors, 20,219 had a purchasing budget in excess of $100,000 last year.

"HTC Vive caters to the more premium customer since this has to be linked to a gaming laptop. The VR Ready range starts from Dh5,000 onwards with machines like the Lenovo Legion Y520 equipped with an Intel i7 processor and a nVidia 1060 GTX graphics card. Its off-take will improve with prices coming down as volumes improve and newer VR games are released," added Khalkho.

It may be recalled that HTC Vive recently announced a Dh700 price reduction for Vive, which is available for Dh2,599. All Vive purchases come with a free trial to Viveport subscription, where consumers can choose up to five titles per month, and copies of popular VR content, including Google's Tilt Brush, Everest VR and Richie's Plank Experience.

"Our goal has been to drive mass market adoption for VR," said Cher Wang, chairwoman, HTC. "We're continuing to deliver on that commitment with this new price for Vive."

Top brands such as HTC Vive, DJI Goggles and Samsung's Gear S3, Gear VR and Gear 360 are making a huge mark at Gitex Shopper 2017. Major VR players, including Oculus, Google and Samsung among others, are competing to make VR more accessible.

VR technology is also shaking up the gaming industry, with Oculus Rift and PlayStation VR offering an alternative and immersive gaming experience. Most recently, Apple's iPhone X has showcased its AR experience with a new software, ARKit.

The potential of VR is extensive, with many industries from sports to education, healthcare and entertainment experimenting with its possibilities. Seven out of 10 consumers believe that VR and AR will become mainstream in media, education, work, social interaction, tourism and retail.

"Gitex Shopper has been running for almost 30 years and during this time, we've seen a vast number of new technologies becoming the hottest trend each year - 2017 is most definitely the year for VR. Increased interest and investment in VR has made the technology increasingly accessible and affordable for consumers, and we're excited to the see the number of products being showcased at the show this year," said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice-president, Dubai World Trade Centre. "Gitex Shopper 2017 is the ultimate platform for shoppers in the Middle East to search, compare and buy VR headsets from a selection of the world's leading power retailers and brands."

Nadeem Khanzadah, head of omnichannel retail at Jumbo Electronics, said: "In the age of information, today's consumers have different demands than those of previous generations, and developments in the electronics sector are happening at a dizzying pace. We will be exhibiting the latest VR products from leading brands at this year's Gitex Shopper, including Samsung Gear VR2, HTC Vive and DJI VR Goggles."

- sandhya@khaleejtimes.com