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- Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:FB): Oculus Quest 2 is one of the most popular virtual reality (VR) headsets, making Meta a great play among top virtual reality stocks.
- Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT): Microsoft has introduced Mesh, providing more collaboration between employees.
- Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL): Apple will introduce a VR headset next year after the tech giant ran into some problems this year.
- Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL, NASDAQ:GOOG): Google Glass was unsuccessful, but Alphabet is working on a new product set to launch in 2024.
- Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA): Nvidia makes chips for virtual reality hardware. And as VR devices get more and more popular, it will be necessary to have many different chips at your disposal.
- Sony (NYSE:SONY): PSVR2 is poised to become a major revenue spinner for Sony.
- Matterport (NASDAQ:MTTR): Matterport is a 3D imaging platform that uses advanced computer vision to create virtual, real-world environments.
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In case you didn’t know already, virtual reality stocks are stocks that are related to the virtual reality industry. They can be companies that produce VR headsets, software, or content.
Overall, the gaming industry and the ability to explore a construct without boundaries via immersive VR experiences will be one of the driving forces behind the increase in VR adoption. In addition, the metaverse — a digital space that is the extension of virtual reality — is making waves, with the biggest tech companies in the world creating divisions to exploit this new business area.
In turn, investors have become fond of VR stocks because this industry seems to be a success. They hope that the virtual reality industry will provide them with a lot of value in the future.
So, with all of that in mind, let’s take a closer look at seven virtual reality stocks that you need to keep an eye on.
| Ticker | Company | Price |
| FB | Meta | $220.98 |
| MSFT | Microsoft | $301.34 |
| AAPL | Apple | $171.08 |
| GOOGL, GOOG | Alphabet | $2,714.69, $2,726.52 |
| NVDA | Nvidia | $241.25 |
| SONY | Sony | $97.87 |
| MTTR | Matterport | $7.45 |
Virtual Reality Stocks: Meta Platforms (FB)
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Facebook changing its name to Meta was one of the biggest moves in tech history. However, the firm’s reasoning for completing the change was that it wanted to focus on the metaverse. That said, under the broader company umbrella, the company now operates Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. In addition, the company also has a substantive hardware division, which manufactures the leading VR platform Oculus.
The Oculus Quest 2 is currently one of the most popular VR headsets. In fact, Meta devices account for 67% of the VR hardware being used on Steam — the “largest online distributor of PC video games.” The Valve Index is next most popular VR headset on the platform, only representing 14% of the VR hardware.
So, with the focus changed to the metaverse, you can expect Meta to be a top play among virtual reality stocks for the long term.
Microsoft (MSFT)
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Microsoft has been investing a lot in artificial intelligence (AI) research. In turn, it has made significant breakthroughs in speech recognition, machine translation, computer vision, natural language processing (NLP) and other areas.
Therefore, Microsoft lends itself naturally to virtual reality. However, compared to other companies, it is not focusing on the gaming side; Instead, it’s focusing on commercial enterprises. One of the most recent examples is the Army’s partnership with Microsoft, including a five-year deal worth $21.9 billion. With this, Microsoft will supply the Army with Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets, a major coup for MSFT stock.
In addition, the introduction of Mesh for Teams will be a great way to bridge the gap between VR and AR (augmented reality) and other future technologies. This is because online meetings and presentations can become much more engaging through this new technology.
So, as with Meta, you can keep an eye on MSFT stock among the top VR firms out there.
Virtual Reality Stocks: Apple (AAPL)
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Apple is one of the most valuable companies in the world. It has been a household name for decades, and it is one of the first companies to enter the metaverse. Moreover, Apple designs and sells a wide range of the latest technological advancements in consumer electronics, computer software and online services.
Due to its huge consumer base, the company will have an easier time integrating its products with VR options. With that in mind, one of the things it’s working on is an AR or VR headset. It was originally supposed to debut the model this year but ran into certain production issues. Now, the company is looking to debut the model next year.
Collectively, Apple has been in the business for a long time and has consistently been developing top-notch equipment, which helps to redefine the market. Therefore, one can reasonably expect the device to become a success — and in turn, benefit AAPL stock.
Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)
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A brief history of Alphabet: In 2015, Google announced that it would create a new company called Alphabet to organize its many interests better. Alphabet became the parent company for Google and its subsidiaries, including YouTube, Nest Labs, Calico, GV (formerly Google Ventures) and others.
Of course, Alphabet is no stranger to virtual reality projects. Google continues to invest heavily in innovations, such as Lens and those related to AR. You can see the company’s efforts across both its Maps and Photos app. However, its most famous product was the Google Glass, which unfortunately did not make much of an impact. However, there are reports of a new headset expected for a 2024 launch.
Furthermore, you cannot discuss Alphabet without talking about its upcoming stock split, which has become a hot topic on social media. On Feb. 2, after Alphabet released its earnings report, and also announced a 20-for-1 stock split. We have talked extensively about the split and its meaning for the company. The bottom line, though, is it’s a very important event. And if you own GOOG stock, it will have a tremendous impact moving forward.
Virtual Reality Stocks: Nvidia (NVDA)
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Nvidia is a company that specializes in making graphics cards, processors and other computing devices. They have been around since 1993 and have grown exponentially over the years. Now, though, Nvidia chief executive officer (CEO) Jensen Huang has stated that AI-powered computing devices will drive the future of AI. And for good reason.
Overall, Nvidia chips are necessary for realistic VR experiences, and they provide a crucial use for them. Also, the company is the world’s leader in visual computing, and its Turing architecture will power the next generation of artificial intelligence, real-time ray tracing, and advanced shading.
In addition, let’s not forget the Omniverse, the company’s metaverse project, which allows its engineers to collaborate and share their ideas.
So, all things considered, Nvidia is making plenty of moves on the VR front that could be potential catalysts. And that’s just one reason why investors should keep NVDA stock in mind moving forward.
Sony (SONY)
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Sony is trying to change this by changing its strategy on how they sell its products. They are focusing on making their games rather than relying on third-party developers to make them for them. In turn, this will allow them to control their games more creatively and create better quality titles to attract more customers.
It will also allow them to pair their existing technology with these games. For example, Horizon Call of the Mountain is a video game created by Sony subsidiary Guerrilla Games. Consequently, this is one of the first games that will demonstrate the updated capabilities of the PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2). The PSVR2 “will work exclusively with the PS5 games console and will follow in the footsteps of the original PlayStation VR headset, which launched back in 2016.”
Moreover, Sony said the headset will launch near the end of the year, but that issues could push it to 2023. Nonetheless, this catalyst could be major for SONY stock over the next year and more.
Virtual Reality Stocks: Matterport (MTTR)
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Matterport is a 3D imaging platform that uses real-time computer vision to create virtual, real-world environments. And since its inception, the firm has seen a lot of use cases across various industries.
Furthermore, Matterport is primarily used for creating digital twins of physical spaces to share with customers online or via mobile apps. You can also use it for capturing 3D data for augmented reality experiences and physical product design projects.
With this, products from Matterport can help you showcase properties in 3D for the client and work on projects with engineers and architects remotely.
The company had a very successful fourth quarter and fiscal year 2021 with $16.5 million in revenue, good for year-over-year (YOY) growth of 32%. Additionally, Matterport said 20% of its customer base consists of Fortune 1000 companies.
So, with Matterport already making moves in the space, investors should consider MTTR stock among the top virtual reality stocks available.
On the publication date, Faizan Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
Faizan Farooque is a contributing author for InvestorPlace.com and numerous other financial sites. Faizan has several years of experience in analyzing the stock market and was a former data journalist at S&P Global Market Intelligence. His passion is to help the average investor make more informed decisions regarding their portfolio.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
