Top tech firms have formed a virtual reality supergroup
Several of the biggest names in technology are joining forces to push forward innovation in the burgeoning world of virtual reality.
Facebook, Google and Samsung are among the top tech companies to form the Global Virtual Reality Association (GVRA), tasked with promoting the global growth of the industry, which is expected to be worth $162bn by 2020.
The non-profit group, which also counts HTC, Sony, Acer and Starbreeze among its founding members, will work together on research, share best practice and be aimed at consumers as well as those in the industry.
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“We’re still very much in the early stages of VR, so it’s critical that industry leaders work together to create and share ideas on how we can safely build this industry," said Jordan McCollum, general counsel for Oculus at Facebook.
Google's director of immersive design, Jon Wiley, said: “The GVRA is a necessary first step toward ensuring great VR experiences for everyone, through collaborating on research and sharing best practices as the field grows and evolves. We look forward to working with our industry colleagues.”
It follows the creation of a similar group, also involving Facebook and Google, along with Amazon, Microsoft and IBM to focus on another new technology area – artificial intelligence.