Five of the Most Important VR, AR, MR Events in 2020
Like 2019, this year will see a plethora of immersive events and developments ranging from expos to trade shows, conferences and smaller-scale meetups among others. Each of these events will offer unique insights into virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality. Here is a list of some of the top immersive events to watch out for this year.
IEEE VR
Start Date: 22-26 March 2020
Location: Atlanta, GA
IEEE VR is a top virtual reality research-based event.
The IEEE VR is the leading technological conference dedicated to research in Virtual Reality. The event features a heavy use of 3D interfaces.
Laval Virtual
Date: 22nd to 24th April, 2020
Location: Laval, France
This will be an immersive AR/VR conference. The conference will be entering its 22nd year this year as one of the leading VR, AR and MR conferences. There will be an exhibition, a conference as well as an awards ceremony.
Visit Laval Virtual event website.
XR Europe 2020
Date: April 28-29, 2020
Location: London, UK
This is the leading senior level Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality industry event in Europe. XR Europe is one of the top four XR events in the UK. The event will be focused on both the marketing and business solutions utilizing Virtual Reality and which are immediately and successfully deployable in any industry. It brings together the brightest minds in Europe who are focused on XR.
It’s also a gathering to take stock of and brainstorm the state of the XR industry as well as its future. The event attracts more than 300 attendees as well as over 70 speakers. It features speaker keynotes, live demos, practical XR case studies as well as exclusive product releases. The standard conference pass costs £1,399 but startups, NGOs or those booking as a group can get discounted rates.
F8- Facebook Developer Conference
Start Date: May 5-6, 2020
Location: San Jose, California
The Facebook Developer Conference is Facebook’s annual conference which is dedicated to developers as well as entrepreneurs building products and services around the platform. From the event registration website, it is clear there will be an emphasis on Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality as well as plenty of surprises. The sessions and keynote will be streamed online so if you fail to get a ticket, you can still follow the proceedings online to get the scoop on some of the latest advancements.
Facebook generally uses the F8 developer conference event to showcase its latest apps and technology. It also uses the event to chart out its vision for the future in various fields. With Facebook’s heavy investment in virtual reality and development efforts in the background, this event is closely watched by many VR enthusiasts.
XR Immersive Enterprise 2020
Start Date: May 5, 2020
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
More than 300 experts from tech and enterprise meet to set the bar on the future of XR at the XR Immersive Enterprise 2020. The premier XR event explores how the technology can deliver ROI and propel business enterprises forward. The conference will reveal some of the best XR applications, strategies on implementing an effective rollout, streamlining processes, proving ROI, building trust between partners and peers, inspiring, motivating and delivering impact to the management while also securing a successful immersive future.
Google I/O 2020
Date: May 12-14 2020
Location: Mountain View, CA
Google I/O is Google’s annual developer festival. Developers from around the world gather together for an immersive experience that will be exploring next-generation tech.
Why attend? Google is already a big player in XR with in its own line of hardware and a growing ecosystem and innovations. During the conference, Google will not only announce new product updates and Android releases but there will also be an opportunity to explore the newest developments in tech. The keynotes will also be streamed online so if you cannot attend the event physically, you can still catch up on the proceedings.
Microsoft Build
Start Date: May 19, 2020
Location: Seattle, Washington
Microsoft Build is a premier Microsoft development conference.
It’s a great platform for networking and bonding with the community over some of the latest Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Mixed Reality trends.
AWE 2020 – Augmented World Expo US & Europe
Start Date: May 27, 2020
Location: Santa Clara, California
The Augmented World Expo (AWE) has four events every year held in Europe, the US and Asia. It is one of the leading Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality event series in the world. The events are hosted in Asia, Silicon Valley, Tel Aviv and Munich. It attracts more than 7,000 attendees, over 250 exhibitors as well as more than 300 speakers. The scale of the event makes it a perfect place for networking with the various players and leaders in the immersive industry.
This year, AWE will be focused on Spatial Computing. Some of the industry pioneers will share their experiences in bringing XR technologies to new sectors, solving major technical challenges as well as on their work on cutting-edge XR development.
The AWE event is attended by C-suite executives, developers, designers, creative agencies, agencies and futurists. It’s a great platform for learning, inspiring and partnering with one another for the building of all things XR. The event will be coming to California for the 9th year, Europe for the third year and China for the second year.
VRTO
June 6, 2020
Location: Toronto, Canada
VRTO is the premiere immersive technology event in Canada.
Attend and immerse yourself into the exploration of science, ethics and humanity via immersive technologies. VRTO shares records of past lectures on YouTube. The speaker lineup for this year hasn’t been released yet.
E3 2020 – Electronic Entertainment Expo
Start Date: June 10, 2020
Location: Los Angeles, CA
The E3 event is about all stiff video-related including the computer, consoles as well as handheld releases.
The conference is all about video games. Many companies will be introducing new Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology applications in the gaming industry. Expect to see new interactive games as well as functions during this year’s E3 Expo.
AR & VR World
Start Date: June 10, 2020
Location: London, UK
The AR & VR World Summit is another AR and VR event showcasing some of the latest business and technological strategies.
This will be the fourth year of this annual event. The event targets enterprise-focused AR, VR and MR communities. The event aims to create a blueprint for enterprises contemplating using AR or VR technology while also walking users through the next phase of their application development with the aim of spearheading commercialization. It has an expected turnout of 2,000+ attendees with over half of them planning on purchase products during the event.
MWC – Mobile World Congress Shanghai
Start Date: June 30, 2020
Location: Shanghai, China
The MWC international conference is focused on the mobile phones.
The founding conference of the Mobile World Congress was held in Barcelona and it has since expanded to other global venues such as Shanghai. The MWC Shanghai conference is the biggest mobile conference in Asia.
The event will have more than 600 exhibitors and over 60,000 attendees. There will be more than 59 hours of conference content and the event will cover everything including some of the newest apps, hardware and software. The emphasis will be on the Asian market.
SIGGRAPH2020
Start Date: July 19, 2020
Location: Washington, DC
SIGGRAPH is an AR/VR event that puts an emphasis on computer graphics and interactive techniques.
The event attracts more than 15,000 attendees annually. This year’s will be the 46th SIGGRAPH and will include everything on computer graphics including the latest research, demos of some of the newest technologies as well as some of the revolutionary ideas on computer graphics from the top minds who will be attending the event.
Gamescom
Start Date: August 25, 2020
Location: Cologne, Germany
The Gamescon is a trade fair for gaming. It’s a highlight event for all gamers with lots of events and congresses that attract gamers from around the world.
Virtual reality and gaming have a symbiotic relationship. There will be more than 56 exhibitors from around the world at the Gamescon 2020 showcasing everything from games to software to some of the latest gear.
Oculus Connect 7
Start Date: September 2020
Location: San Jose, CA
The Oculus Connect is a major event in the AR/VR and Oculus calendar.
This year’s event will be the seventh edition. The two-day event brings together both AR and VR developers who share ideas and chart out the future of the immersive industry. The OC7 will feature high-profile talks, technical demos, exciting news, gaming, training and much more.
Enterprise Wearable Technology Summit (EWTS)
Start Date: October 20, 2020
Location: San Diego
The EWTS is the longest-running event focused on the business and industrial applications of wearables, covering everything from smart glasses to body-worn sensors, other HMDs, AR, VR, MR, wrist wearables and exoskeletons.
The summit includes expert-led discussions and real-world case studies and is a perfect place to get some practical insights on the evaluation, adoption, implementation and advancement of immersive and wearable technology in the workplace.
MWC – Mobile World Congress Americas
Start Date: October 28, 2020
Location: Los Angeles, CA
The MWC Los Angeles conference and expo is focused on all things intelligent connectivity.
The mobile phone is central to our lives and this event covers all stuff related to software, hardware and some of the newest apps, including the Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality component which is slowly making its way to smartphones.
VR Days Europe
Start Date: November 4, 2020
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
The VR Days Europe is a three-day conference that delves into the VR.
The event will include exhibits in AR, VR and MR. It is packed with a beehive of activities including expert speakers, hands-on workshops as well as breakout sessions. This year’s event will feature 140 guest lecturers from across the spectrum of industry.
VR World
Start Date: November 10, 2020
Location: London, UK
There will be lots of unique opportunities during this one-day event that will feature more than 100 industry speakers who will assist attendees with insights on creating, marketing and distributing their digital creations.
WWDC 2020 – Worldwide Developers Conference
Date: 2020
Location: San Jose, CA
WWDC is Apple’s annual conference for developers and entrepreneurs using its platform.
Like in the Google event, expect lots of new product announcements, keynotes and much more. There will be sessions dedicated to the advancement of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality technology. There will be an online stream of the event so if you are unable to attend the event physically, you can follow the proceedings online.
XRDC
Date: 2020
Location: San Francisco, CA
The XRDC conference is dedicated to the innovators in the AR, VR and MR space with an emphasis on the use-cases in a broad range of industries.
The conference was previously referred to as Virtual Reality Developer Conference (VRDC). The name was changed to XRDC so as to have the event fully encompass of the interactive and immersive technologies at the conference.
The event is attended by some of the technology and business leaders from leading corporations such as Sony, Amazon, Airbnb and Tencent among others. The two-day event also features expert-led sessions as well as a Partners Lounge where you can sample some of the latest tech, tools and services in various industries such as education, healthcare and industrial design among others.
Digital Transformation Conference
Start Date: 2020
Location: London, New York, Seattle, Amsterdam, Singapore, Sydney
The Digital Transformation Conference event brings together some of the leaders and visionaries in global technology. It’s a series conference that happens in a number of cities across the globe.
Attend this to gains some insight on the evolution of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality as well as the overall digital experience. It includes comprehensive case studies, real-world insights and actionable takeaways. It is a must-attend event if you are looking to enhance your digital capabilities.
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