key takeaways

• VR headset sales declined in 2022, reflecting waning interest in a buggy metaverse.
• Even if consumers wanted to get involved with this technology, the current price of headphones makes it inaccessible to many Americans.
• Several big companies are launching new VR headsets this year, including Apple, Meta, HTC, and PlayStation. However, these new releases may not be enough to cause a spike in consumer interest, as VR headsets experienced in 2021.

The metaverse had a bad year. Sales of virtual reality headsets were down 2% year-over-year, falling to $1.1 billion by December 2022. Also, these figures are for the United States only. Globally, shipments of VR headsets and AR equipment fell 12% in 2022.

What caused this decline and what does it mean for the future of…