5G, 6G and Immersive Content Delivery

According to a new paper by InterDigital and Futuresource Consulting, the increase in immersive content consumption could strain wireless infrastructure and create opportunities for innovation.

The report, titled “Media over Wireless: Networks for Ubiquitous Video,” looks at the growing demand for video and immersive experiences on wireless networks. Current wireless networks may not be able to handle the next generation of immersive entertainment as XR applications place new demands on them.

XR Market Growth

The XR market is growing, and by 2031, XR device shipments are expected to increase 4x over 2025 levels, reaching 83 million units globally. Without network upgrades, the market could face stalled adoption of immersive devices, especially since 40% of consumers are already dissatisfied with network performance for video.

Milind Kulkarni, Head of Wireless Labs at InterDigital, noted the need for future wireless systems to accommodate the shift from watching video to stepping inside it.

6G and XR

XR is a stress test for wireless networks, making it a key use case for 6G and next-gen video codecs. 5G-Advanced and 6G architectures are important for immersive and XR content. Futuresource anticipates that 6G deployment will happen around the same time as the maturation of XR hardware and software ecosystems, expected between 2028 and 2032.

By 2037, the XR market is projected to reach 130 million 6G-enabled devices, a large increase from today. By 2030, XR is forecast to be the second major category (after smartphones) to use 6G capabilities, enabling new immersive experiences like city tours, live events, and public transport entertainment.

Lionel Oisel, Head of Video Labs, at InterDigital, said that the XR market is becoming mainstream, and as 6G standards are released around 2030, XR entertainment will become an expectation, including interactive digital sports venues, real-time augmented city guides, and digital twins. The quality of these experiences will depend on ultra-low latency, responsive interactivity, and consistent media synchronisation.

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

Lionel Oisel, Head of Video Labs at InterDigital 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