For decades, the concept of virtual reality was little more than a dream. For a time, we never thought it would be possible to actually do – and even after realising that it was, we never thought it would be affordable, mainstream or convenient.
But here we are. Comprehensive home VR systems are in development for the affluent enthusiast, and smartphone-compatible VR headsets such as Google’s Cardboard and Samsung’s Gear VR are turning mobile devices all across the globe into portals to other worlds.
Virtual reality is here, and it’s about to get huge. The end-user cost of VR technology is dropping lower and lower, and the need for wide open spaces or complicated set-ups to experience it is lessening. Soon, VR will be an everyday part of life in our society.
What does virtual reality mean for the business world?
When the Internet first went mainstream, we couldn’t have imagined what it would become. We knew that it opened up new possibilities for connection, but nobody could have predicted that it would turn the business world on its head.
The Internet makes social media possible. It makes groundbreaking innovations such as Uber possible. It makes live video conferences between individuals who are geographically thousands of kilometres apart possible. None of that was even conceivable before.
So the question is: What will VR make possible?
Virtual reality and the business of the future
Mainstream use of virtual reality is just around the corner. At this stage, as a mainstream tool, it’s in its infancy – which means the possibilities are as deep as our imaginations are.
Imagine being able to actually “attend” a live webinar or press conference via your virtual reality headset. How liberating would it be to travel freely knowing that you can virtually be present at meetings with your staff? What’s going to happen when the world’s most innovative minds start to explore the limits of virtual reality?
The most important question to ask yourself as a business owner is this: “What will VR technology allow me to give my audience / customers that I wasn’t able to give them before?”
Start thinking about virtual reality now
Tony Robbins advocates that businesses ask themselves two crucial questions: What business are you in. and what business must you become?
In the wake of massive technological advancement – such as the integration of virtual reality into mainstream consciousness – it’s important to be hyper-aware. What are the innovators doing in the VR space? What are the marketers doing? What are your competitors doing?
The advancement of VR technology is truly exciting for modern businesses. It’s impossible to say where it’s going to lead, but we at Ultimate Edge Communications will certainly be watching.
Our advice? Watch with us.
