In 23andMe case, a fight brews over who can sell your genetic code
That is the question that attorneys general from 27 states and the District of Columbia are raising in the bankruptcy of DNA-testing company 23andMe, filing suit Monday to force a judge to determine whether customers of the firm have an inherent right to their genetic information.
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8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Virtual Reality Market to Reach $38 Billion by 2029: Key Trends & Forecasts
Delray Beach, FL, Aug. 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The report "Virtual Reality Market by Technology (Non-immersive, Semi & Fully Immersive), Offering, Device Type (Head-mounted Devices, Gesture Tracking Devices, Projectors & Display Walls), Application and Region - Global Forecast to 2029", The global virtual reality market was valued at USD 15.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 38.0 billion by 2029; it is expected to register a CAGR of 19.1% during the forecast period. The rise in demand for virtual reality device is attributed to the growing penetration of the Metaverse, Rapid adoption of digital technologies in healthcare and gaming & entertainment sectors, Increased investments in virtual reality market and Significant adoption of HMDs across various sectors. Download PDF Brochure: Major Key Players in the Virtual Reality Industry: Meta (US), Sony (Japan), Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Microsoft (US), Unity Technologies (US). Virtual Reality Market Segmentation: By Offering: Software segment to account for the larger virtual reality industry share in the forecasted year. The software segment accounted for the largest share of ~52% of the virtual reality market in 2029. Software enables virtual reality experiences such as informative overlays, interactive games, and navigation aids. In contrast, virtual reality software creates entirely digital environments where users can explore, interact, and manipulate objects. This software often includes 3D modeling, physics simulations, and rendering engines to provide immersive virtual reality experiences like gaming, simulations, training, and virtual tours. Virtual reality software is critical for delivering the content and interactions that define the user's experience within these immersive environments. Increasing penetration of virtual reality software solutions and their compatibility with existing hardware devices are expected to grow the virtual reality market for software during the forecast period. By Application: Consumer application to account for the largest virtual reality industry share in the forecasted year. Consumer segment accounted for the largest share of ~44% of the virtual reality market in 2029. The growth in consumer segment is attributed as VR offers a level of immersion that traditional gaming can't match. By placing you right in the center of the action, VR lets you feel like you're truly part of the game world. Imagine dodging bullets or swinging a sword, all while feeling the virtual environment around you. Also, Museums are using VR to create captivating experiences that bring collections and exhibits to life. VR allows visitors to virtually travel through time and space, immersing themselves in historical periods or getting up close and personal with artworks in ways that wouldn't be possible otherwise. Asia Pacific is expected to hold the largest share of the virtual reality industry during the forecast period. Asia Pacific held the second largest share of ~38% in the virtual reality market in 2029. The growth of VR in the Asia Pacific region is contributed from gaming, training, and entertainment industry. The region boasts a huge and passionate gaming community, particularly in countries like China and South Korea. VR's immersive experiences perfectly cater to this audience, offering a whole new level of engagement. Also, Many Asia Pacific countries are investing heavily in education, recognizing the importance of building a skilled workforce. This investment includes adopting new technologies like VR to enhance learning experiences. Ask for Sample Report: Virtual Reality (VR) Market Key Takeaways By tapping into the metaverse, VR is redefining digital interaction, offering more lifelike experiences in fields like education, customer service, and healthcare. From medical simulations to virtual classrooms, VR is opening new possibilities for engagement and training. By leading innovation in immersive gaming and eSports, Asia Pacific holds the largest share of the VR market, driven by rising investments in technology hubs across countries like Japan, South Korea, and China. Gamers in the region are seeking deeper, more engaging experiences powered by VR. By overcoming latency and power challenges, the VR industry is striving for longer, more seamless sessions, especially in sectors where precision and endurance are key, such as aerospace training or immersive telemedicine. Reducing delays and improving battery life are now major priorities. By riding the wave of 5G, VR applications are becoming faster, sharper, and more mobile, making possible real-time immersive experiences like 360° sports broadcasting and cloud-rendered virtual tourism. 5G is helping push VR beyond home gaming into business, education, and events. By improving gesture tracking, VR is becoming more intuitive and human-centered, allowing users to interact with digital environments through natural movements. This shift makes VR more accessible and engaging, especially in design, simulation, and interactive storytelling. By focusing on user-friendly design, the VR industry is working to eliminate barriers to adoption, making it easier for people of all ages and skill levels to enjoy immersive content. Prioritizing comfort, intuitive navigation, and accessibility is vital for broader consumer uptake. By boosting hardware innovation, VR headsets and accessories are becoming more sophisticated and in demand, especially in gaming. As realistic visuals and physical interactions become core expectations, hardware makers like Meta, Sony, and HTC are leading the charge in shaping future experiences. Recent Developments of Virtual Reality (VR) Market industry In December 2023, DPVR collaborated with SchooVR, provider of immersive educational content. The collaboration between DPVR and SchooVR aims to enhance learning solutions for teachers and students by integrating virtual reality (VR) into the classroom environment. In October 2023, Sony unveiled PlayStation 5 Slim version. It's a redesigned version of the original PS5 that's smaller and lighter, with a few other improvements. The PS5 Slim is about 30% smaller in volume than the original PS5. It's also lighter, making it easier to transport and fit into entertainment centers. CONTACT: About MarketsandMarkets™ MarketsandMarkets™ has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets™ is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. With the widest lens on emerging technologies, we are proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients across the globe. Today, 80% of Fortune 2000 companies rely on MarketsandMarkets, and 90 of the top 100 companies in each sector trust us to accelerate their revenue growth. With a global clientele of over 13,000 organizations, we help businesses thrive in a disruptive ecosystem. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion in new revenue streams that are replacing existing ones within this decade. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines – TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we collaborate with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies to keep them future-ready. Our insights and strategies are powered by industry experts, cutting-edge AI, and our Market Intelligence Cloud, KnowledgeStore™, which integrates research and provides ecosystem-wide visibility into revenue shifts. To find out more, visit or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets™ INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445, USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@ Visit Our Website: in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Paramount's new owners to increase film production, hang on to cable networks
By Dawn Chmielewski LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Paramount Global unveiled plans on Wednesday to retain and develop its stalwart entertainment brands Nickelodeon, MTV, and BET, while sharply increasing feature film production following its $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. "We're thinking about ... the cable networks, not as declining linear assets that we need to spin off or deal with somehow," said President Jeff Shell. "We're thinking of those brands that we have to redefine." Shell joined Chairman and CEO David Ellison and the rest of the executive team at a media gathering on Wednesday on the Paramount Pictures lot, where they discussed strategy for their film, television, and streaming businesses - as well as emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. The press event was held a week after Paramount completed its merger with Skydance Media, installing new leadership at the media company. Television Media Chair George Cheeks acknowledged the decline of cable television - "there's no question it's a super challenging business" - but added that the company's cable networks have created iconic franchises that may well thrive in the world of streaming video. Shell singled out BET, a network focused on Black culture that Paramount previously explored selling, as an important building block of the company's streaming strategy. Paramount's plans to develop its legacy cable networks come at a time when other media companies are shedding fading cable networks. Warner Bros Discovery and Comcast have announced plans to separate their cable businesses from their studios and streaming operations. Josh Greenstein, co-chair of Paramount Pictures, said the studio plans to raise annual output, from eight this year to 15 movies "very quickly," with the ultimate goal of releasing 20 films a year. The coming slate will include new installments of familiar franchises, such as "Star Trek" or "Transformers," as well as original movies, like the newly acquired James Mangold film project, "High Side," starring Timothée Chalamet. The studio also will seek out family fare, in the vein of "A Night at the Museum" or "The Goonies." "We love these movies. We all grew up on these movies, and we don't feel like many people are making them," said Dana Goldberg, co-chair of Paramount Pictures. Ellison said his goal is to transform Paramount into a haven for the most talented filmmakers and sees emerging technologies like artificial intelligence providing a tool to enhance storytelling. "I also think we have to acknowledge that this is a technology that is evolving, I think, faster than everyone in Hollywood really thinks it is," said Ellison, who is the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. "When you start putting that in a filmmaker's hands, I think you're seeing another moment that'll be as transformative as when John Lasseter and Steve Jobs built Pixar."
Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Yahoo
The Crypto Payment Paradox: Why Nobody's Actually Buying Coffee With Bitcoin In 2025
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Despite years of 'crypto is the future of money' rhetoric, a candid discussion among cryptocurrency enthusiasts on Reddit reveals the stark reality: most people still aren't spending their digital assets like traditional currency. While the infrastructure exists to buy everything from burritos to luxury cars with crypto, fundamental barriers continue to prevent mainstream adoption as a payment method. The Infrastructure Is There—But Is Anyone Using It? The good news for crypto believers is that spending options have expanded dramatically. Major retailers including Whole Foods, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), Home Depot (NYSE:HD), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), and luxury brands like Gucci now accept crypto payments through processors like Flexa and BitPay. Crypto debit cards from Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN), and other exchanges allow users to spend digital assets 'as easy as a tap' at millions of merchants worldwide. Don't Miss: The same firms that backed Uber, Venmo and eBay are investing in this pre-IPO company disrupting a $1.8T market — 'Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. Gift card platforms have become particularly popular bridges, enabling crypto holders to purchase everything from groceries to flights. Some users report successfully buying houses and cars after converting crypto to cash, while others highlight El Salvador as a rare example where Bitcoin functions as preferred everyday currency. The Dirty Secret: It's Not Really 'Crypto Commerce' Here's where the narrative gets complicated. Most crypto spending today doesn't involve true peer-to-peer digital currency transactions. Instead, crypto cards and payment processors typically convert digital assets to fiat currency instantaneously at the point of sale. Critics argue on Reddit that this is simply 'adding a crypto backend on top of the fiat system' for marketing purposes rather than genuine blockchain-based commerce. This technical distinction matters because it means merchants still receive traditional dollars, not cryptocurrency. The infrastructure resembles a complex currency exchange service more than the revolutionary payment system originally envisioned by Bitcoin's creators. Trending: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a ? Three Major Barriers Killing Crypto Adoption Tax Complexity Remains King Every crypto transaction triggers a taxable event for capital gains purposes in most jurisdictions. Buying a coffee with Bitcoin means calculating and reporting the gain or loss on that specific portion of your holdings. This accounting nightmare encourages people to make lump-sum conversions to fiat rather than frequent small purchases. The 'Digital Gold' Mentality Many crypto holders view their assets as stores of value rather than spending money. Following Gresham's Law—that people spend 'bad money' and save 'good money'—investors prefer to spend depreciating dollars while hoarding appreciating Bitcoin. This psychological shift from currency to investment vehicle fundamentally changes user behavior. Volatility and Fees Still Bite While transaction costs have decreased, payment processors still charge 1%-2% fees comparable to credit cards. More importantly, Bitcoin's price volatility makes merchants hesitant to accept direct crypto payments due to settlement Stablecoin Exception Interestingly, stablecoins like USDC and USDT face fewer adoption barriers since they maintain dollar parity. Some users report successfully using stablecoins for international transfers and online purchases, suggesting these assets may represent crypto's true payment future rather than volatile tokens. Reality Check: Investment Asset, Not Daily Currency The honest assessment from the crypto community itself is telling: most view cryptocurrency primarily as 'an asset to invest in at this point,' not revolutionary payment technology. While enthusiasts predict mass adoption within 5-10 years, practical users recommend simply selling crypto for dollars when purchases are needed. This doesn't diminish crypto's value as a financial innovation—it just acknowledges that digital gold and everyday spending money serve different purposes in modern portfolios. Read Next: Kevin O'Leary Says Real Estate's Been a Smart Bet for 200 Years — Image: Shutterstock This article The Crypto Payment Paradox: Why Nobody's Actually Buying Coffee With Bitcoin In 2025 originally appeared on
