Darshan Shankar
Showing 1–2 of 2 transcripts.
- a16z23 min
a16z Podcast | When Is VR's iPhone Moment?
Current VR and AR markets operate in a "pre-iPhone" era where falling hardware costs and the introduction of standalone 6DoF headsets like Oculus Go are driving rapid mass adoption among millions of users. While high-end setups enable deep immersion in games and social spaces, the industry anticipates AR will lag behind until dedicated hardware replaces smartphone limitations around 2019. This trajectory positions the next two years as a critical runway for affordable devices to expand the addressable market and stimulate the creation of native immersive content.
- a16z26 min
a16z Podcast | VR, AR, and Beyond: The New Medium of Human Experience
Chris Milk, Darshan Shankar, Jason Rosenthal, Kyle Russell, Sonal
Industry leaders identify 2016 as the inflection point where mature hardware enables a strategic pivot from marketing-funded experiments to monetized content across VR, AR, and mixed reality. While studios leverage existing intellectual property to bridge budget gaps, the medium's fluid formats are evolving toward bifurcated narrative, interactive, and social experiences designed to democratize human presence. Current market dynamics prioritize empathy-driven storytelling and shared virtual environments, setting the stage for a future where immersive technology fundamentally redefines interpersonal connection and content creation.