Best Virtual Reality (VR) Software Development Kits

What are VR SDKs?

What are the Common Features of VR SDKs?

What are the Benefits of VR SDKs?

Who Uses VR SDKs?

Developers: The bulk of software development, particularly the more complex work, will be conducted by developers. Developers can utilize VR SDKs to take on challenging work that business users would not be expected to do on their own.  

Business users: While some work requires developers, there are aspects of VR development that can be conducted by non-developers or business users. This is mainly true for VR SDKs that can include drag and drop options, which are no-code. The simplicity of drag and drop empowers business users and saves time for developers. 

What are the Alternatives to VR SDKs?

Alternatives to VR SDK can replace this type of software, either partially or completely:

VR game engine: A virtual reality (VR) game engine, or VR game engine, provides game developers with the framework for creating a VR video game experience. These tools enable developers to create and edit 3D characters and fully immersive 3D experiences. VR game engines often include features of VR SDK. They are different, however, as VR SDKs can be utilized for more than just gaming technology. 

VR visualization software: VR visualization software allows users to experience aggregated data in a virtual environment. Data visualization enables users to see analytics presented visually so they may fully understand what the data is communicating. VR visualization is used across multiple industries, allowing engineers, designers, and other professionals to work with real-time data. While VR visualization can be a tool included with VR SDKs, VR SDKs offer more than just visualization capabilities in their collection of provided tools. 

Software Related to VR SDKs

Related solutions that can be used together with VR SDKs include:

VR content management systems: Organizations use VR content management systems (CMSs) to collect, store, and analyze all VR content in a centralized location. Users may upload 360-degree videos and images directly onto these platforms and edit them within the solution. The videos and images from VR content management software can be manipulated as needed by editing tools included in VR SDKs. 

VR marketplaces: These are publicly available online platforms used to explore, share, find, and purchase VR content, such as mobile games. Some VR marketplaces provide developers with a platform to design content and host their VR creations, which will then host the overall VR experiences. This is important for VR SDKs, or any virtual reality technology, as VR marketplaces are a key area for purchasing and discussing VR apps. 

VR training simulator software: VR training simulators can be used in almost any industry to help train users in an immersive virtual environment. VR SDK is the building block for various virtual reality apps, including VR training simulations. 

Challenges with VR SDKs

Lack of compatibility: VR SDKs are often designed with specific frameworks and hardware in mind instead of being cross-platform. This can be an issue for businesses, as they often have to buy a specific brand of VR SDK to ensure that they can connect with the VR technologies an organization currently has and plans to adopt in the future. Before purchasing VR software development kits, a business should determine upfront how compatible the tools will be with existing frameworks and hardware. 

Emerging technology: Like any emerging technology, virtual reality development will have some growing pains. Many businesses may be working with VR for the first time. This means that users will have to be educated on how to use VR, what it is, and what it is used for. VR companies are also relatively new and prototyping, so there may be challenges on their end as they work out the kinks to gain more cutting-edge features. 

How to Buy VR SDKs

Requirements Gathering (RFI/RFP) for VR SDKs

The requirements for VR SDK application development can sometimes be fairly straightforward, as these tools do not offer much customization. That being said, buyers seeking VR SDKs should consider several key factors. Important considerations include, but are not limited to, the pricing model, the user experience, and the ability to integrate with existing hardware and frameworks related to VR. 

Compare VR SDK Products

Create a long list

Buyers should start by seeking out different service providers for the right fit, given the timeline, scope, and resources the organization has at its disposal. Once these factors are identified, buyers can then use G2.com and other online resources to research the top products on the market. 

Create a short list

After identifying these key factors, buyers can dig deeper into finding a service provider that fits their needs. Companies should consider the bandwidth of developers on their teams. Companies should also consider what pre-existing software they already have on site and what additional software they may need to purchase. 

Conduct demos

Companies should walk through a demo of each product they are considering purchasing. This allows them to get an up close and personal view of the app development, its functionality, and how it fits into the company's current backend and frontend infrastructure. 

Selection of VR SDKs

Choose a selection team

The selection team should include a mix of roles and titles that would interact with VR SDKs. First and foremost, at least one member of the development team should be involved, as they would be most likely to interact with VR SDK regularly and provide the needed technical expertise. Other roles may be dependent on use cases. For example, if the tool is purchased to assist in VR simulation, the roles involved may differ from those purchased for an immersive VR marketing experience. 

Negotiation

While some vendors will have a set cost pricing model to follow, others may be open to negotiation. Organizations should research before the negotiation phase to ensure that what they are asking for is a reasonable price. 

Final decision

Ultimately, organizations must decide which product they want to go forward with. Companies should consider what specific features, use cases, and capabilities they are looking for depending on their organizational needs. 

Implementation of VR SDKs

How are VR SDKs Implemented?

VR SDK is versatile enough to be implemented across multiple deployment methods. This includes SaaS, hybrid, and on-premises. 

Who is Responsible for VR SDK Implementation?

Developers are often key members of the implementation and development process, as they are the ones who will be using them regularly. Unlike business users, they also have the technical expertise to implement these tools. 

What Does the Implementation Process Look Like for VR SDKs?

Companies should plan to run tests multiple times before going live to collect test data. This test data helps ensure their connection to the VR SDK and applications runs smoothly. 

When Should You Implement VR SDKs?

Organizations should implement VR SDK once they have conducted initial testing. Once up and running, developers will be eager to utilize VR SDK, as it saves them time and allows them to focus on other, more engaging activities. 

VR SDK Trends

Healthcare VR

The healthcare market has the potential to be one of the largest adopters of VR technology. VR can potentially assist in gamifying physical therapy and rehabilitation or teaching communication skills to individuals with learning disabilities. With these new advancements, it will be important to have VR SDK tools to help aid in developing these lifesaving applications. 

IoT VR

VR in IoT can create a fully-immersive experience through visual displays from multiple models. Different types of sensors can also complement VR through IoT, which can help improve the immersive experience. 

Mobile devices and VR

Applications for mobile devices can also become more immersive through the use of virtual reality technology. IoS, Android, and other mobile operating systems can run VR and 3D environments in mobile games and applications. As VR becomes more popular, there will likely be a rise in mobile-specific VR SDKs.