Each year, our feeds are flooded with news about gadgets from tech blogs and websites, and much of it is related to VR. It seems like new and superior VR headsets are constantly being released, and this makes it hard to choose. In particular, many businesses want to use the technology for their professional needs, yet don’t know which headset to use for virtual reality development. To make the choice a little easier for businesses looking to kick off VR development, we have created a list of the best VR headsets of 2021. You will learn about the biggest products in the industry and which of them are best for developing apps for. Our company has broad experience with these platforms, so you will also see some firsthand observations and commentary. Looking for VR app development services?
The State of VR in 2021
2020 was a big year for VR, much bigger than the previous one. Then again, the same could be said for 2019. As the growth of VR continues, we are seeing some product manufacturers take firm dominant positions in the market, while consumers embrace the technology evermore. For example, a study conducted by ARtillery Intelligence found that users of these headsets are pretty evenly split among different age groups (11-19%), gender (52/48%), and income. This demonstrates a broad appeal among all types of consumers.
What VR Headset to Choose for Application Development?
Oculus Rift S

- Advanced motion tracking
- Simple setup process
- Offers developers multiple integration options
- Development is easy with free SDKs, guides, and enterprise support
- Underwhelming graphical capabilities
- Lack of support for HDMI
- Must be connected to a powerful PC
- Unwieldy controllers
HTC Vive

- Crisp & intuitive controls
- 110-degree field-of-view
- Development is streamlined in a special console
- Developers are supported by a thriving community
- Relatively heavy
- Complex installation process
- Overreliance on wires
Valve Index

- Superior tracking and field of view
- Integration with massive Steam ecosystem
- Innovative controllers
- Custom apps are only available through Steam
- Incredibly high price
- No tactile feedback
Oculus Quest 1&2

- Can be developed natively or with UE4/Unity
- Sophisticated and comfortable controllers
- Many developer tools available with Android Studio
- Great screen resolution
- High price of hardware
- Facebook sign-in needed for use
- Limited battery capacity
Google Cardboard

- Most accessible price
- Open-source SDK available
- Android NDK and Unity integration
- Compatible with iPhones
- Lack of UE4 integration
- Not as immersive as competitors
- Inconvenient design
Merge Headset

- Integration with Merge Cube
- Android + iOS Support
- Effective motion tracking system
- Durable and light
- Compatible with Cardboard apps
- Apps are only available via official store
- Lack of developer materials and guides
- Large phone sizes not supported
Pico Neo 1&2

- Impressive hardware
- Comfortable design
- Multiple SDKs available for devs
- Support for remote device management
- High Price tag
- Small developer community
- Difficult to adjust custom IPD
Which Industries Use VR Headsets?
The business applications of virtual reality are quite broad. In fact, most people who don’t follow the topic closely will be amazed at all the examples. We have listed a few below:Education
Virtual reality technology gives schools and educational establishments entirely new and immersive tools to share information and experiences with students. For example, the Broward County Main Library in Florida made Merge headsets available (with educational apps) to visitors. As a result, they were able to greatly increase the number of visitors and boost their level of engagement. Evidently, offering virtual reality in online education could have a similar effect.Automotive
For many people working in the automotive industry, many hours a week are spent physically examining and working with cars. Ford has lately tried a new approach – giving their specialists HTC Vive models running a custom app, and letting them examine existing and prospective automobiles without being there in person. This approach has proved very effective, especially during lockdown restrictions.Manufacturing
Many manufacturing jobs require extreme precision and carefulness, so effective training and immaculate production can be hard to achieve. However, with the right software and hardware, it is much easier. This was demonstrated by researchers at MIT, which developed a system allowing users to control a robot arm with Oculus Rift in a manufacturing setting. This approach was much safer than physical training and made entry into the profession more accessible.Real Estate
Virtual reality for real estate agents can be an invaluable tool that lets them do their job more efficiently and achieve more sales. One example is Zoopla Property Group, a British real estate company. Simply by letting clients experience remote home tours through a special app on Oculus devices, they were able to entice more buyers and save the time of their employees and clients.Retail
You don’t always need the most expensive and elaborate virtual reality product to impress customers – even a simple model often does the trick. The London-based MADE.com company recently created a VR showroom app for Google Cardboard, and it was a big hit. The app allowed clients to explore a virtual apartment with company products and receive tailored selections of items based on other products they like.Healthcare
Johnson and Johnson is one of the biggest companies pushing for the use of virtual reality in healthcare. Through their partnership with a VR development company and the use of Oculus Quest, they have built an innovative surgical training application. It allows medical students and inexperienced surgeons to brush up their operational skills with no risk to patients.And many more
There are numerous other industries that have already been touched and influenced by virtual reality business applications. If we also factor in extended reality formats like AR and MR, we will find thousands upon thousands of companies over the world using them.
Where Do I Find Good VR Developers for My Business?
As you can see, the choice of high-quality VR headsets today is broad, and companies can find a tailored choice based on their industry and the kind of app they want. However, there is still the challenge of building the application. Even for developers familiar with popular OS’s like Android and iOS, the development of VR software demands additional skills and knowledge which take time to pick up. If your business lacks the needed specialists or experience with developers, there are partners available to assist with the process. Among them is Program-Ace. Our company has built immersive and detailed VR experiences and apps for a wide variety of platforms and headsets. Thus, if any of the options from our list caught your attention, we can surely assist with related development. Whether you need a few specialists with the expertise to provide guidance or a team that will handle the full cycle of development, we are ready to deliver results. When you are ready to discuss potential cooperation, feel free to send us a message about your project.Want to get more stories to your email?