New Research Reveals Immersive Content Will Stretch Wireless Networks to Breaking Point, Paving Way for Video and 6G Innovation

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  Video accounted for 69% of all internet data traffic in 2024, far surpassing social media (13%) and gaming (10%)

• By 2031, the number of XR devices shipped will quadruple to reach 83 million units

• Limitations of current networks are already apparent, with 40% of consumers voicing dissatisfaction

The exponential growth in immersive content consumption is set to put a major strain on today’s wireless infrastructure and make way for new enabling innovation, according to a new paper released by InterDigital, Inc., a mobile and video technology research and development company, and market research firm Futuresource Consulting. The report reveals that as immersive and extended reality (XR) content becomes more accessible, current network architecture must evolve to cope with the demand.

The paper, titled “Media over Wireless: Networks for Ubiquitous Video,” explores the escalating demands and trends around consumer behavior for video and immersive experiences over wireless networks. XR applications are placing new demands on wireless networks which, in their current form, will be unable to handle the next generation of immersive entertainment.

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Today, demand for entertainment over wireless is voracious, whereby:

• Video accounts for 69% of all data traffic over the internet
• On smartphones, 74% of data consumption is video, driven by social media clips, embedded video, and streaming platforms
• 26% of consumers watch SVoD services (e.g. Netflix, Prime Video) on their smartphone, compared to 41% on TVs
• By the end of 2024, mobile gaming revenues reached $85 billion

However, the XR market is growing rapidly, and by 2031, it is expected that the number of XR devices shipped will increase 4x over 2025 levels, to reach 83 million units globally. Without significant upgrades to the network, the market risks facing stalled adoption of immersive devices—especially given that 40% of consumers today report dissatisfaction with network performance, where video demands are not as intensive as XR.

“The high demand for more immersive entertainment cannot be ignored. As XR devices become more accessible, we’ll move from simply watching video to stepping inside it—and future wireless systems need to be prepared for this staggering change,” said Milind Kulkarni, Head of Wireless Labs at InterDigital. “XR is a stress test for wireless networks, where the throughput and latency demands make it the defining use case for 6G and next-gen video codecs.”

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5G-Advanced and forthcoming 6G architectures will be essential to unlocking the full potential of immersive and XR content. Futuresource predicts that 6G deployment will coincide with the projected maturity of XR hardware and software ecosystems, which is expected to take place between 2028 and 2032.

• The XR market is projected to hit 130 million 6G-enabled devices by 2037, up from near-zero today.
• By 2030, XR is expected to become the second major category (after smartphones) to integrate 6G capabilities.
• New experiences will reach the market, with immersive experiences on the go such as: city tours, live events, and public transport entertainment.

“The XR market is entering a pivotal phase, where immersive content is no longer a niche. As we get closer to 2030 and the release of the first 6G standards, XR entertainment is going to become an expectation, where we will see interactive digital sports venues to real-time augmented city guides and digital twins,” said Lionel Oisel, Head of Video Labs, at InterDigital. “But the success of these experiences will hinge entirely on quality of experience—whereby ultra-low latency, responsive interactivity, and consistent media synchronisation which are all essential to unlocking XR’s full potential.”