StarVR Corp (宏星技術), a 66.37 percent-owned subsidiary of Acer Inc (宏碁), yesterday outlined plans to leverage its hardware expertise to tap into the more lucrative enterprise and commercial virtual-reality (VR) applications market.
The company announced a partnership with Techviz, a VR software editor developer based in France, to make StarVR’s products compatible with more than 200 versions of computer-
assisted design (CAD) and architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) software to help businesses speed up development and adoption of VR-enabled solutions.
While the company has made headway in being selected as the VR supplier for arcades, theme parks and movie theaters in several overseas market, its most recent customer orders include a VR workplace safety solution for AKITO Corp, one of Japan’s largest construction machinery rental companies, StarVR vice chairman Jerry Kao (高樹國) told a news conference in Taipei.
The company is also in talks with more than 30 potential customers from a wide array of fields, including retail, medical, military, automotive and aerospace, Kao said.
“We do not intend to have a repeat of the incessant competition revolving purely on hardware specifications,” Kao said, referring to the firm’s enterprise-focused strategy.
StarVR’s systems have advanced features, including a 210 degree field of view, 5K resolution and eye tracking to bring improved immersion to the VR experience, he said.
“There is no compromise for subpar experiences in VR; any shortfalls would mean discomfort for users,” Kao said, adding that PC users are more able to tolerate middling performance and content experience.
As for growth prospects, Kao said that prices for consumer VR systems have fallen from between US$799 and US$599 in 2016 to between US$599 and US$399 in about a year.
On average, commercial and enterprise customers are willing to spend 1.5 times more than consumers on both hardware and content, Kao said.
Citing industry researchers, Kao forecast that enterprises would represent 85 percent of the combined markets of VR and augmented reality.
“We have observed that enterprises are willing to raise spending as long as the product works as advertised and gains benefits, such as fewer workplace accidents due to improved VR-enabled training programs,” Kao said.
StarVR shares rallied 39.1 percent from their initial offering price of NT$69 and closed at NT$96 on the Taipei Exchange’s Emerging Stock Board during its debut on Monday. The stock yesterday closed at NT$97, down from an intraday high of NT$99.
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