Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well it certainly did not happen in way other technologies happened - smartphones, social networks, laptops, desktops... VR is definitely slower and smaller market right now than these other devices were after similar number of years.
By that metric almost nothing "happened". And I'd say VR is advancing way faster than desktops, and maybe even the rest of your list. You just don't remember the products that existed when they were still fairly niche, like the iPaq, Amstrad and Friendster.
I lived through the beginning and was early adopter of laptops as well as smartphones. I had a laptop when others had a 386 PC, and I had a smartphone when others had monochromatic Nokias. I also saw desktops happen - not from the beginning, but it certainly looked differently.
I'm not writing VR off though. Boom can still happen, and I think it will - I just think that it won't look anything like today's headset. My money's on lasers-into-eyes (virtual retinal display) VR.