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RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & TRENDS
However, investing in XR is still an investment in the We have an ideal showcase for the media and telecom-
future. The costs for elaborate VR film productions, for munications industry here. The applications require
instance, are likely to initially exceed the revenues, high-performance hardware, tailored content and fast
which is why not only innovative start-ups, but also the networks.
large media and platform companies with solid financial
resources are needed to make the technology more The future is within reach
attractive for consumers.
5G will take XR applications to a new level and allow to
More than just a gimmick exploit its potential. It is just important to inspire con-
sumers and create a "must have" effect in order to turn
These investments are expected to pay off, in fact to the fascinating, innovative technology into a commer-
triple in the next four years, even without new impuls- cial success. Definitely, 5G will introduce a new wave
es—same as with augmented and mixed reality. How- for immersive technologies with more people down-
ever, two requirements must be met: a new killer app, loading virtual content on the go and these technolo-
such as Pokémon GO, and innovative killer hardware gies could be as ubiquitous as mobile devices in only a
must mobilize the market. few years to come. So, expect to see XR technology
applied in several areas, such as retail/e-commerce,
"Establishing Extended Reality is not a sprint but seems video games and entertainment, as well as in general
to become a marathon. Nevertheless, it is worth invest- the educational, medical and military field. And with
ing here," Klaus Böhm says. "In recent years, the con- immersive technology becoming more mainstream, it
sumer technology industry has not been able to come will likely infiltrate more and more industries. ◊
up with any innovation that promises comparable po-
tential. Our forecasts show that XR can become a bil- By Daniela La Marca
lion-dollar market.
April 2021: Immersive Technologies in Marketing 5
