rssmobility

Are You Using the Right XR Headset for Work?

Bryan Bassett, Ramon T. Llamas — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Perspective explores the evolution and practical deployment of extended reality (XR) technologies, including augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), mixed reality (MR), and extended reality (ER) headsets. It outlines how advances in silicon, displays, and cameras have propelled XR devices into commercial popularity over the past decade, particularly for training applications across industries. This IDC Perspective clarifies distinctions between headsets and ideal use cases. VR offers immersive training in completely digital environments, MR enables users to interact with both real and virtual objects, ER provides heads-up content overlay for field service, and AR overlays interactive digital information onto real-world surroundings with advanced mapping features. Each type of headset has unique benefits and deployment considerations, recommended usage environments, mobility constraints, and interaction types. IDC aims to provide guidance for technology buyers on choosing and deploying appropriate XR solutions in the workplace.

"XR deployments in the commercial space are still relatively niche in 2025 compared with other hardware segments, but players in this market are actively designing and developing XR solutions for both frontline and knowledge/desk workers," said Bryan Bassett, research manager, Enterprise Mobility, IDC. "The latest generation of XR hardware has seen improvements in design and functionality, presenting an opportunity for expanded XR deployments in business. Collaboration, virtual design, and employee training are emerging as the front-runner use cases for enterprise workers."

"Augmented reality and virtual reality have been around for decades, but it has only been within the past 10 years that they have gained popularity and acceptance among interested commercial users," said Ramon T. Llamas, research director with IDC's XR and 3D Interactive Software program. "Training has become one of the most popular use cases for XR, allowing users to safely understand a task and the steps involved with it. Training can change markedly from one product to another, each presenting benefits and limitations to the wearer."

Network Inventory Market Landscape and Vendor Profiles

Chris Silberberg — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Market Perspective discusses the network inventory landscape and a few profiles of vendors that offer network inventory solutions. Network inventory is undergoing an evolution as telecom operators modernize legacy systems to enable automation, AI-driven operations, and new monetization models. Investment in cloud-native, unified inventory platforms is accelerating to overcome data silos, support autonomous networks, and deliver improved operational efficiency. Leading vendors are advancing with agentic AI, digital twins, and open APIs, while telcos prioritize integration, data quality, and strategic partnerships to drive resilience, innovation, and differentiated connectivity in an increasingly complex ecosystem.

"In the drive toward autonomous networks, fragmented inventory data is a significant barrier to accelerating network automation, innovation, and dynamic network services. Telcos must ensure they have a clear strategy for transforming this foundational area of their business," Chris Silberberg, research manager, Telecom Operations and Monetization, IDC.

Intelligence in RAN: Reshaping Innovation, Efficiency, and Sustainability for 5G-A

Swathi Arunaa — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Market Note examines the Huawei IntelligentRAN solution, which addresses communications SPs' challenges with rising network complexity, sustainability objectives, and operational challenges. The solution aims to enable communications SPs in optimizing user experience, improving energy efficiency, and advancing automated operations as they transition to 5G–Advanced (5G-A).

SMB Communications Services Survey, 2025: Mobility

Jason Blackwell — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Survey provides a summary of results from IDC's SMB Communications Services Survey, an online survey of United States–based small and medium-sized businesses fielded in September 2025. This portion of the survey explores key issues related to mobility services adoption and implementation by businesses with 1–499 employees.

国内法人／産業向け5G市場予測、2025年～2029年：産業分野別、テクノロジー別

Yoko Ono — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

本調査レポートは、5G（パブリック5Gおよびローカル5G）のテクノロジー別、産業分野別の市場予測を提供するものである。

「数年前に、産業現場に無線LANなど、より安価な通信技術を導入した企業におけるローカル5Gへの関心が高まっている。これらの導入経験で無線のメリットとデメリットをすでに学習した企業の一部が、アプリケーションの高度化に伴い、より高品質、高性能の無線技術を求めている。ローカル5Gは、そうした企業をターゲットにすべきである」とIDC Japan、Infrastructure & Devicesのリサーチマネージャーである小野陽子は提言している。

Telecom Operations and Monetization Outlook for 2026

Chris Silberberg — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Market Presentation presents IDC's outlook for the telecom operations and monetization market in 2026. It provides six key expectations, assessing the impact of major trends such as AI, autonomous networks, customer experience, omni-service monetization, IT consolidation, and vendor expectations.

2026 Expectations for Enterprise Wireless Infrastructure Investment Growth Segmented by Technology

Paul Hughes — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Tech Buyer Survey Spotlight examines the data sourced from IDC's Enterprise Connectivity Infrastructure and Services Survey, with 758 respondents with either influence or decision-making capabilities from across 19 countries and 15 vertical industries.

Over 40% of enterprises expect to increase investment in wireless connectivity over the next year, with over 60% increasing investment in wireless WAN and private mobile infrastructure, with more than 25% increasing investment by more than 10%. Wi-Fi investment growth ranked third with 59% of enterprises increasing investment; however, spending increases were mostly under 10%.

T-Mobile's 3Q25 Earnings: Remarkable Growth Fueled by UScellular Deal Close and the Start of a Fiber Journey

Jason Leigh — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC Market Note examines T-Mobile's 3Q25 earnings results. The company announced market-leading and best-ever results across a number of metrics and the closure of its recent deals involving Metronet and UScellular.

U.S. Business Use Smartphone Forecast Update, 2025–2029

Bryan Bassett — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC presentation provides the five-year forecast for the U.S. business use smartphone market and delivers insight into the drivers and inhibitors of growth.

"Corporate device refresh rates continue to incrementally increase as businesses look for ways to reduce mobility spending," said Bryan Bassett, research manager with IDC's Enterprise Mobility Workspace and Deployment Strategies. "The upshot is that mobile technology is essential to businesses, and choosing not to invest in new mobile hardware to keep up with refresh cycles is not really an option for businesses looking to grow or stay competitive, especially considering the growing demand for new AI devices."

Worldwide Business Use Smartphone Forecast Update, 2025–2029

Bryan Bassett — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 05:00:00 GMT

This IDC presentation provides the five-year forecast update for the worldwide business use smartphone market and delivers insight into the drivers and inhibitors of growth.

"Mobile AI has become pervasive in the business use smartphone market," said Bryan Bassett, research manager with IDC's Enterprise Mobility Workspaces and Deployment Strategies. "Hardware manufactures, platform providers, and service providers continue to improve the quality and capability of AI-driven hardware and software solutions targeted for enterprise users."