VRaaS: The Rise of Virtual Reality as a Service

In recent years, we have seen how technological evolution is advancing by leaps and bounds, transforming society, cities, and all business sectors. It has turned many everyday tasks into revolutionary ones at an impressive speed.

Innovations that once seemed like something out of a science fiction novel are now part of our daily lives, opening up a range of possibilities and enabling new ways of working, socializing, interacting, and, of course, playing video games.Very soon, devices such as VR glasses or VR headsets will be accessible and cheaper for all users. This accessibility will allow their introduction into companies more frequently, enabling workers to collaborate in 3D virtual spaces. Educational centers will also adopt these devices as a training resource, facilitating students’ access to any university in the world from home.

What is VRaaS in simple terms?

VRaaS stands for Virtual Reality as a Service. It’s a business model that allows users, customers, and companies to access virtual reality experiences without having to invest in expensive infrastructure, hardware, and software. It offers a variety of payment models such as pay-per-use, monthly subscriptions, or annual contracts, providing flexibility in billing for the service.Similar to other software-as-a-service models, the VRaaS provider hosts the virtual reality infrastructure and content in the cloud, making it available to its users and customers over the Internet. Users only need an internet connection and a compatible device, such as a smartphone, PC, laptop, tablet, or VR headset, to access VR experiences.In this context, VRaaS makes virtual reality more accessible and affordable as an on-demand service, opening up new possibilities for VR usage across industries and applications.

Key features of VRaaS

As mentioned earlier, VRaaS offers virtual reality services under various payment models, providing the following features:

• The infrastructure is in the cloudAllows for easy scaling according to demandMore resources can be added in the cloud as neededCustomers pay only for the time or users using the serviceThe provider is responsible for maintaining and upgrading the VR infrastructureDoes not require the customer to invest in expensive VR hardwareAccessible from multiple devicesConnects users into shared VR spacesEnables access to VR experiences without needing physical VR devicesOffers 24/7 technical support

It’s essential to note that each VRaaS platform or provider may offer a different combination of these features, which can vary widely depending on the target market and the provider’s capabilities. When considering a VRaaS solution, evaluating how the available features align with your particular needs is crucial.

Companies and platforms offering VRaaS in the market

Several companies offer VRaaS services. Here are some examples:

• AWS offers VR services like Amazon Sumerian to create and run virtual and augmented reality in the AWS Cloud

• Microsoft provides Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, empowering technicians to collaborate using Microsoft Teams or Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, reducing travel time and cost

• Google Cloud XR allows the creation of virtual reality applications using the Google cloud along with tools such as Cloud Anchors and Augmented Images

• Facebook’s Oculus for Business offers VR headsets and turnkey implementation of VR experiences for businessesNvidia with CloudXR and Omniverse platforms provides virtual, augmented, and mixed reality streaming services and tools over 5G and high-speed Wi-Fi networks

• HTC through Vive Business offers VR experiences in the cloud for businesses, enabling the creation, publication, and operation of VR content without in-house infrastructure

• IrisVR specializes in VR experiences for the architecture and design sector

• Edverse and Edorble offer VR experiences focused on online education, enabling users to interact with virtual objects and participate in training activities in an immersive virtual environment

• Virtual Italy Tours allows users to visit Italy from the comfort of their home.

Moreover, most of these companies offer platforms, SDKs, and APIs to integrate VR into processes without significant investments.

Market forecast

The rise of VR beyond entertainment in the consumer market presents an opportunity for business leaders to allocate budgets for VR adoption in their companies. Several studies and reports project substantial growth in the VR market in the coming years, both in terms of hardware and devices and applications and platforms.

References:

• Virtual Reality (VR) Market Size And Share Report, 2030
• Digital Media: Virtual Reality as a Service (VRaaS): The Top 5 Virtual Reality Firms in 2023
• XR Today: What is Virtual Reality as a Service? Explaining VRaaS
• Tech HQ: VR-as-a-service scales enterprise training
• Financial Times: Virtual and augmented reality accelerates from gaming to cars
• Fortune Report 2023: Virtual Reality [VR] Market Size, Growth, Share | Report
• MR Report 2023: Global Mixed Reality Strategic Business Report 2023
• GrandView Research: Virtual Reality (VR) Market Size And Share Report, 2030
• Precedence Research: Virtual Reality Market Size To Hit USD 113.59 Billion By 2032