How 5G and edge computing further drive VR to mass adoption as 6G rides into view

Even though virtual reality is not a new technology and has been around for decades, VR as we know it (i.e. Quest headsets and the metaverse) is still relatively new and continually developing. The VR industry has made it seem that before long, we'd all be wearing headsets and doing everything from gaming to working to even social media in the VR world.

Of course, the widespread adaptation of VR has yet to happen -- even with Samsung and Google's Android XR headset (code-named Project Moohan) launching this year, as well as the release of the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3S last year. You might know only one or two people who own a headset and might know even fewer who use VR daily or even weekly. So what's the holdup?

Experts say there are many reasons, but one ingredient to the recipe that can make VR an even wider consumer success is the deployment of 5G.

"Several features of 5G can make VR more accessible to the mass market in environments where Wi-Fi is not available (e.g. outside the home or office)," Joshua Ness, director of emerging technology at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and formerly with Verizon 5G Labs, told ZDNET.

"VR content requires significant data throughput in order to render properly, and 5G's multi-gigabit per second streaming capabilities will allow for this. 5G also allows for edge computing capabilities in ways that 4G does not, thereby reducing the time required for data to be processed in the cloud and rendered in real time on the VR head mounted display (HMD)."

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5G speeds have promised (and have since proven) faster download and upload speeds for improved web browsing and in-app experience, increased speeds in communication between mobile networks, and more. According to a report from OpenSignal, download 5G download speeds range from 71.1Mbps to 186.3 Mbps (depending on the carrier). And we're going to need those fast speeds with VR. 

"The high-resolution imagery used to create an immersive experience must be rendered at a higher pixel density compared to traditional 2D content," Ness said. "Each frame of VR content needs to be rendered multiple times (once for each eye), which increases the amount of data required."

"High frame rates are also required to avoid motion sickness and provide a smooth experience, and VR content typically requires frame rates of 90 frames per second or higher. Rendering this many frames per second requires significant computational power and data bandwidth."

Both the ability to handle large amounts of data and 5G's low latency are critical to making the VR experience seamless for most. 

First, to connect to the immersive and real-time metaverse without lots and lots of cables, you will need a fast wireless data connection, and if you want to be able to roam about while doing it, that probably means you'll need 5G if you want a richer and more realistic metaverse experience.

"If you're wearing a headset and the video is half a second behind, that's at the least disorienting, and at the worst, super dangerous," Gartner Director Analyst Tuong Nguyen told ZDNET. "You could walk into your refrigerator or a cabinet or hit somebody in the face, so that's partly where 5G comes in."

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The other part is edge computing, which helps make those bulky headset devices slimmer and more manageable to wear and use. Right now, metaverse experiences need to be downloaded locally. Implementing the edge cloud in these devices could remove the need for heat-generating components of headsets on the market and bring down their cooling and power needs.

According to a survey published in 2022 by the peer-reviewed scientific journal IEEE Access, "[Mobile edge computing] can be used to improve VR/AR applications for several benefits such as latency reduction, efficient resource utilization using device-MEC collaboration, improved throughput, and reducing the backhaul traffic load."

But 5G and edge computing are far from the only things that can allow VR to become what the wider consumer base envisioned and catapult it into broader success. Nguyen notes that content within VR, convenience of use, and control also play a big part.

"Right now, VR is easy to obtain -- a headset is at least. But how easy is it for me to set up?" he said. "Similarly, how am I going to interact with this dimensional interface? Am I going to pretend I'm typing or maybe use voice commands? That's the kind of problem we are still working out."

Ness also notes that VR manufacturers have an uphill climb ahead of them if they want the technology to realize mass market adoption. 

"Users aren't taking advantage of VR for anything other than gaming because the technology isn't advanced enough for real-time interactivity to happen in a meaningful way," he said. "And the creators of interactive VR worlds and platforms aren't investing in these capabilities because users aren't asking for them."

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VR may have its growing pains as it figures out how to appeal to a much broader audience, but a notable subset of the population is already using VR daily as 5G networks become more deployed -- especially in the enterprise space.

A survey conducted by Grid Raster found that as many as 56% of businesses surveyed were already using some form of VR or AR in the workplace. These instances include HR training, students learning in school, and VR simulations of production processes in the manufacturing sector. 

But notably, everyday consumers are catching on to the benefits and interest of VR. For example, when Apple announced its Vision Pro headset last summer, consumer searches for VR skyrocketed by 300%. While the headset certainly has its flaws like the eye tracking that needs to regularly be re-calibrated and how it gets uncomfortable to wear after extended use, Ness said it could be the key to more consumers entering the VR world. 

"With its ability to easily transition between AR and VR environments -- effectively enabling a truer form of spatial computing -- it's possible that users may see value in operating the device out in the wild where only a cellular connection is available," he said. "In this scenario, 5G will be required to allow the HMD to function properly and offer a good user experience."

Ness notes that within the next five years, he expects to see VR take off, with consumers using the technology for new use cases that we haven't really considered yet. 

"By that time, 6G will be on the horizon and there will be other technology applications that prove out those advancements in connectivity and computing, thereby paving the way for advanced VR capabilities."