Global VR Headset Shipments Drop 14% in H1 2025 as Smart Glasses Jump 110%

1 articles · Updated · Boy Genius Report · Jun 14

Counterpoint data showed global VR headset shipments fell 14% year over year in the first half of 2025, extending a slowdown that Apple’s Vision Pro launch has not reversed.
User engagement is weakening too: Omdia found active headset usage dropped 8% in 2024 as owners increasingly stop using devices after purchase.
Physical discomfort remains a key drag, with studies showing 57.3% to 65.2% of users report motion sickness, while headset weights of roughly 1.14 to 1.76 pounds add neck strain and heat.
Content has also failed to sustain demand, as developers hesitate without a large installed base and users lose interest once the initial novelty fades.
Smaller wearables are gaining instead, with smart-glasses shipments rising 110% in H1 2025 and the broader XR market growing 44.4% even as VR and MR headsets declined.