In the latest of the multi-billion dollar deals becoming more and more common among the tech giants, social media leader Facebook has announced an agreement to buy Virtual Reality headset developer Oculus in a reported $2 Billion deal.
Oculus is the manufacturer of the wearable computing “Rift VR headset.” According to reports the multi-billion dollar acquisition consists of $400 million in cash with another $1.6 billion in Facebook Stock.
Facebook CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg justified the purchase as part of the company’s forward thinking – positioning the social media company for the next rush in the tech sector after the surge in mobile, saying that the technology “opens up the possibility of completely new kinds of experiences.”
While the current focus of the Oculus VR headset is targeted at the immersive gaming market, the young CEO said that they have plans to expand the platform for “many other experiences.” These could include a virtual courtside seat at a sporting event, consulting with your doctor, or a new immersive method of the virtual classroom.
Many are point to the far looking strategy of Google with its Google Glass and seeing the possible similarities for future applications.
Many analysts are keeping a watchful eye on the wearable computing market, and anticipating to see explosive growth in that sector in the coming years – growth which could easily rival, and possibly replace the current mobile computing market.