Why VR Will Survive No Matter What We Call It

The Naming Wars. Why the Cool Stuff Always Wins

Names change. The best ideas stick around. Take Virtual Reality. Depending on who you ask, it’s also called XR, AR, MR, or Spatial Computing. Confusing? Sure. But it’s nothing new. History is full of tech that went through identity crises. And every time, the technology itself outlasted the fight over what to call it.

If you think the VR naming debate is messy, wait until you hear about the battles over radio, movies, and even computers. These technologies had their own naming struggles , some fierce, some funny, all temporary. Yet, in the end, it didn’t matter. The tech survived, and the name sorted itself out.

Let’s take a trip through history and see how these naming battles played out.

Movies, Talkies, and Cinema (1920s-1930s)

The silent film era was ending, and a new kind of entertainment was taking over movies with sound. But what should they be called?

“Motion Pictures” sounded formal, a nod to the industry’s early days. “Talkies” was catchy, emphasizing the novelty of actors speaking on screen. “Cinema” carried an air of sophistication, especially in Europe, where film was viewed as an art form. And then there was “Movies,” a casual, everyday term that people actually used.

For a while, all these names coexisted, appearing in newspapers and advertisements. But time did what it always does sorted out the unnecessary. In the U.S., “Movies” became the dominant term, while “Cinema” held its ground in Europe. “Talkies” faded once talking became standard. No matter the name, one thing was clear: people kept watching.

PDAs, Pocket PCs, and Smartphones (1990s-2000s)

Before we had smartphones, we had “PDAs,” Personal Digital Assistants. They helped people manage contacts, calendars, and notes, but they weren’t quite phones. Then came “Pocket PCs,” a more advanced but still clunky term. It wasn’t until the mid-2000s, when these devices combined with cell phones, that “smartphone” became the go-to name. The transition took time, with some brands hesitant to embrace the term.

The word “smartphone” is often credited to Ericsson, which used it in 1999 to describe its GS88 concept phone. While IBM’s Simon Personal Communicator (1994) had smartphone-like features, it wasn’t widely called one at the time. As mobile phones evolved to include internet access, apps, and touchscreens, “smartphone” stuck, eventually replacing “PDA” and “Pocket PC” entirely. Now, it’s second nature. When was the last time you called your iPhone a “Pocket PC”?

Wireless vs. Radio (1900s-1920s)

At the dawn of the 20th century, voices and music began traveling through the air — no wires, no cables, just sound magically reaching homes. It was revolutionary, but what should it be called?

Newspapers called it “wireless telegraphy,” linking it to the familiar Morse code system. In Britain, “wireless” became the common term, emphasizing the absence of cables. Meanwhile, in the U.S., broadcasters favored “radio,” a term derived from “radiotelegraphy” that sounded modern and sleek.

The debate wasn’t just about branding, it was about industry influence. “Wireless” suggested continuity with telegraph networks, while “radio” signified an entirely new form of mass media. Eventually, “radio” won in the U.S. as networks like NBC and CBS popularized it. But “wireless” never disappeared entirely. Decades later, the word resurfaced to describe Wi-Fi, proving that some names just wait for the right moment to return.

The Electronic Brain (1940s-1950s)

Computers weren’t always “computers.” Back then, a “computer” was a person who did calculations by hand, working in teams to process numbers for scientists, governments, and businesses. Then, machines took over, promising to do the same work faster and more accurately. When these early machines emerged, newspapers called them “electronic brains,” a term that captivated the public and conjured images of machines capable of thought. Dramatic? Sure. Accurate? Not really. These machines weren’t thinking, just following pre-programmed instructions step by step.

Despite the sci-fi appeal of “electronic brain,” the more precise term “computer” won out. Over time, the word transitioned entirely from describing human workers to referring exclusively to machines. Today, “computer” is such a natural part of our vocabulary, and if you were to call a human a computer, they might just get offended.

Cybernetics, Expert Systems, and AI (1950s-Present)

Artificial Intelligence wasn’t always “AI.” In the 1950s, it started as “cybernetics,” a futuristic-sounding term for machine intelligence. Later, it became “expert systems,” “machine learning,” and “cognitive computing.” Each name tried to capture a different piece of the technology, but eventually, “AI” reclaimed its spot.

For decades, “AI” has meant different things to different people, from robots in movies to algorithms making recommendations. Despite the shifting definitions, the name has stuck. When was the last time you heard someone say “cognitive computing”? It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue.

AR/XR/MR/VR (Or Whatever It’s Called) Will Win

Virtual Reality, Mixed Reality, XR, Spatial Computing, it’s the same story all over again. The name might be fuzzy now, but the experience is real. And if history tells us anything, it’s this: when something is cool and useful, people adopt it no matter what it’s called.

Names change, but technology sticks. Just like “radio” replaced “wireless” and “smartphone” left “PDA” behind, the most compelling version of this tech will define what we call it. So, in ten years, will we still say “VR,” or will an entirely new term take over? Either way, we’ll be wearing it, working in it, and wondering why the name ever mattered at all.