The Virtual Reality Boom and Boom To Come by Julian

The Virtual Reality Boom and Boom To Come by Julian - February 2018 Scholarship Essay

Over the past few years there has been a cultural economic and technological boom of the virtual reality industry. Virtual Reality has been slowly rising but has exploded in the minds of everyone as it is changing technology as we speak. Over the past few years some of the worlds largest technology companies have started a metaphorical “arms race” in who will dominate the Virtual Reality Market. And it is only expected to keep growing. According to the Virtual Reality Society, Facebook bought rights to the Oculus Rift for $2 Billion dollars and then launching it in 2016 (Virtual Reality Society). Only being early into 2018 it is hard to measure how much Facebook has gained or loss since it’s buyout. But since the purchase of Oculus in 2014 we can say it has helped with Facebook’s stock prices rising 317% from March 28, 2014 to February 2, 2018 (Google Finance). But though Facebook seems to be in the lead many other giants in the tech industry like Google, HTC, Samsung, Sony and Microsoft have started taking part in this battle of claiming it’s stake in a new technological territory. Though we have seen some exciting creations in the gaming industry we are in the infant stage of what can become.

Other companies that aren’t as involved in the creation of Virtual Reality have begun to invest in it’s arrival. In 2015 the New York Times partnered with Google to deliver over one million “Google Cardboard” sets to it’s home delivery subscribers. It is in fact made from cardboard that you put together that then allows you to place your phone inside to view a 360-degree view of a film. The Times with the help of Google released its first 360-degree film called “The Displaced” a documentary of children effected by war. Executive Editor at the New York Times, Dean Baguet stated that this film was the “the first critical, serious piece of journalism using Virtual Reality” (Newsy Tech). The Google Cardboard and the “NYTVR” app were both launched in November 2015. Since it’s jump into this technology, The New York Times has launched over 300 VR videos that range from, 360-degree views of walking down Manhattan, being on Pluto, standing on the set of the Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk”, the 2017 Women’s March and on the front lines of The war against ISIS in Iraq where you can see muzzle flashes of people shooting towards the camera at Iraqi troops.

We have yet to see a full-on consumer boom into this though. Gaming, journalism and film are all preparing for the what could be called soon to be “Roaring 20’s of VR”. Multimedia Mogul and Founder of Vaynermedia, Gary Vaynerchuk made a statement on Medium.com regarding Google Cardboard and the NY Times “We are currently in the dawn of VR making that kind of impact on our society. And it has me very excited… VR is an incredible opportunity for all of us, a new frontier that many of us could have never imagined, even in our wildest dreams” (Medium.com).

Now it being 2018 and looking at the possibilities two decades into the future in 2038 it is hard to imagine what kind of impact Virtual Reality could be making then in the context of Education. By then Virtual Reality could be used in all markets and schools creating a demand, lowering its price but growing a new level of knowledge. Schools could use this to teach kids about Egypt while being in Egypt, but still in a classroom in the Upper West side of New York. Or it can properly teach high school students about issues of civil rights and progressive movements by being in the, middle of a rally but still at home. Or above all else what it can create in Medicine, allowing doctors to perform virtual surgeries before they really happen or allowing doctors to see inside of a patient through a scope, while minimizing invasive damage of a patient.
It is hard to imagine what we could be doing with Virtual Reality in 2038 when it comes to education. Yet it was hard to imagine this stuff in 2012 for what is happening now. But we can all agree from a nineteen-year-old consumer to Mark Zuckerberg owner of Facebook, that Virtual reality has changed the world in little time during it’s rise to power. And it will only see exponential growth as the years go by. The world is a better and more aware place because of it, and we can only hope by 2038 it is being used to save lives, connect people and inspire generations to create the next greatest thing. Who knows, maybe in 2038 a student will be using VR to talk about commercial transportation to Mars by 2058. All we know that this is a new frontier in the “Information Age.” It is no longer about grabbing newly discovered land first but about sharing the knowledge we have with everyone and growing together. And it is beyond exciting!

Works Cited
“Facebook, Inc. Common Stock.” Google.com/Finance.

“History Of Virtual Reality.” Virtual Reality Society, www.vrs.org.uk/virtual-reality/history.html.

NewsyTech. “Here's Why The New York Times Is Handing Out VR Headsets - Newsy.” YouTube, YouTube, 20 Oct. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY6B3ovd8f4.

Vaynerchuk, Gary. “You Should Get Excited About Virtual Reality. Here's Why.” Medium, Medium, 5 Nov. 2015, medium.com/@garyvee/you-should-get-excited-about-virtual-reality-here-s-why-4ed527b43e10.