HTC has finally introduced Vive Focus, its first standalone VR headset for the China market. Being a standalone device, there is no need to attach the headset to a PC, or slide a smartphone inside it, because all the sensors, processing power and display are built into the headset for an untethered VR experience. The Vive Focus VR headset provides 'world-scale' tracking through inside-out 6-degree-of-freedon tracking (6DoF). There's also built-in water-repellent padding, instant-on support, and the device comes with a single three-degrees-of-freedom motion controller. The headset sports high-resolution AMOLED screen to deliver immersive VR experience, with low latency and unmatched clarity. It is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 VR Platform and utilizes the Vive Wave VR open platform, which includes rich library of VR content available on the Viveport. Unfortunately, HTC did not reveal the pricing and availability details, but the standalone VR headset's availability is likely to be limited to China. Having said that, in other markets, the Vive Focus will be based on Google's Daydream VR platform, instead of Wave VR platform. Source
Facebook owned Oculus has announced a new affordable and standalone VR headset called Oculus Go that doesn't require a PC or smartphone to work. The company says the standalone product can be used for "watching movies or concerts, playing games, or hanging out with friends in VR."
The Oculus Go VR headset has a lightweight design, and is made of soft and breathable fabric, making it comfortable for wearer. It has “fast-switch” WQHD LCD screen and next generation lenses to deliver a wide field of view with significantly reduced glare. The headset is embedded with spatial audio and even has 3.5mm audio jack for plugging in headphones. Oculus Go VR headset ships with a single handheld controller that has a touchpad and trigger button, similar to Samsung's Gear VR headset. Moreover, Gear VR and Oculus Go apps are binary compatible, that means Gear VR apps will work on Oculus Go. The Oculus Go VR headset will be arriving early 2018, and will be priced starting at $199. Oculus also said that it is working on a more power standalone VR headset code-named Santa Cruz. It will support inside-out tracking and work with handheld motion controller. The standalone device is still in prototype stages, and there's no word about its release date.
Google is refreshing its Daydream View VR headset with a new model, that's designed to fit the Pixel 2 XL. It has the same design as the original Daydream VR headset, but is made of premium two-tone fabric that makes the headset soft and lighter than its predecessor. It also comes in three new colors: Fog, Charcoal and Coral. The all-new Google Daydream VR headset also features high-performance lenses, which results in better image clarity and a wider field of view for enhanced viewing experience. Like its predecessor, the new Daydream VR headset is compatible with Daydream-ready handset, and user will have to slide in the smartphone into the provided slot, to experience VR. It also comes with the same handheld controller, but now there's also dedicated slot to house the controller and a removable head strap. The list of phones compatible with Daydream platform now include Pixel/Pixel XL, Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL, Samsung Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy Note8, Asus ZenFone AR, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Moto Z/Z2 and ZTE Axon 7. Google says users can enjoy more than 250 VR titles on the headset. The new Daydream View VR headset is priced at $99 and will be available from October 17.
Samsung has joined the Windows Mixed Reality headset bandwagon, by launching its mixed reality headset called Odyssey, joining the likes of HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer and Asus. However, Odyssey is expensive and offers improved features, when compared to other mixed reality headsets. Like other Windows Mixed Reality head, Samsung Odyssey features screen refresh rates up to 90hz, built-in six degree of freedom inside-out position tracking and support for Microsoft's standard motion controllers. It will also have to be plugged into Windows 10 PC running Fall Creators update, which will roll out October 17. However, while other Windows Mixed Reality headsets sport dual 1440 x 1440 pixel LCD displays, the Odyssey has two 3.5-inch 1440 x 1600 pixel AMOLED screen. This translates into a combined resolution of 2880 x 1660 pixels, making it the highest resolution display. And thanks to the use of AMOLED screen the display will deliver more vibrant colors and deeper black to provide crisper and more lifelike image.
The headset also offer slightly better 100 degree field of view, compared to 105 degree FOV promised by Dell, Acer, Lenovo and HP. It also comes with 360-degree Spatial Sound, which will be delivered via the built-in AKG headphones. There's also a built-in mic for voice commands. The headset weighs 645g. The Samsung Odyssey is priced at $499 and is now up for pre-order from the Microsoft Store, while shipping will begin in November. Source | Via
Sony has announced an updated version of its PlayStation VR headset with two minor but important upgrades. For those unaware, the PS VR headset hit the market in October 2016 and is somewhat similar to Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, through which gamers can enjoy high-graphics games. However, unlike Rift and Vive, which needs a high-end gaming PC to function, the PS VR works with PS4 gaming consoles. The new PlayStation VR carries the model number CUH-ZVR2, and features an updated design. To start with, the CUH-ZVR2 features a slimmer streamlined connection cable, and the stereo headphone cables is now integrated within the VR headset, for a more cleaner design. Secondly, there's an updated processor unit that supports HDR pass through, enabling users to enjoy HDR compatible PS4 content on a TV without having to disconnect the Processor Unit in between the TV and the PS4 system. This function can be used only when the VR headset is turned off. Sony says that the packaging of the new PlayStation VR will change slightly. The new model number will be printed on the box, and also the product image on the packaging will be updated to show changes on the new model. The updated PlayStation VR has been priced at $400, but there is no word on its availability. Meanwhile, earlier this month, the original Sony PS VR headset, got a price cut of Rs. 4,000 in India and is now available for Rs. 37,990.
Samsung is one of the biggest names in the virtual reality market, thanks to the affordable Gear VR headset. Now the South Korean tech giant is gearing up to set foot into the mixed reality space. Twitter user WalkingCat has shared pictures of Samsung's upcoming mixed reality headset, giving us a clear look at the design. The headset's design is same as models from Lenovo, Asus, Dell, HTC, and HP, so is the motion controller. Interstingly, Samsung's headset will be fitted with AKG branded headphones, which is missing on other headsets.
Unlike Gear VR headset which uses Samsung phone to offer VR experience, the Mixed Reality headset needs to be connected to a Windows 10 PC. In fact it will be based on Microsoft's specifications, which means it is likely to have two 1440 x 1440 pixel displays, 110 desgree field of view, inside out motion and position tracking. Samsung's Mixed Reality headset is expected to be announced on October 3, the day when Microsoft is holding its Mixed Reality event in San Francisco. Via
Acer, HP, Asus and Dell already introduced their Windows platform based Mixed Reality Headset. Joining the bandwagon is Lenovo with the Explorer. Its specs are almost similar to other models, but is priced little lower. It does not need a high-end PC to work with, and will preform fine in affordable budget PCs. The Lenovo Explorer Mixed Reality headset has the usual dual 1440 x 1440 pixel display and dual-camera for inside-out positional tracking offering a "free and unfettered natural motion". It also does not have external sensors, which means it is easy to setup. Just connect the built-in Y-cable of the headset to the computer's USB port and HDMI output, and you're good to go. The headset lets you move around in an area of up to 3.5 by 3.5 meters, which means within this space users can move around, hop, lunge, couch, and perform other actions. There's also an optional motion controllers, but you can use the Explorer with an Xbox controller, Keyboard and mouse (to run Microsoft Office apps), or voice commands through Cortana. It also has the ability to run VR games and apps. The standalone Lenovo Explorer is priced at $ 349, and the headset and motion controller bundle will cost $449. It will hit the shelves in October.
After Dell, Asus at the ongoing IFA 2017 has announced its first Windows Mixed Realiy Headset that delivers immersive real-world and virtual experiences to users in 3K resolution. It has dual 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution panel for each eye and a 90Hz refresh rate. The headset sports a unique design with a pattern of hundreds of 3D polygons and a glossy tone-on-tone effect. For comfort during extended usage, it has premium antibacterial cushioned materials and a balanced crown design that reduces pressure on the nose and face. It weighs less than 400 grams. It features inside-out tacking with two built-in front facing tracking cameras with six-degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) position tracking. Unlike other headset, Asus's Mixed Reality headset doesn't need external sensor or additional software to work, and takes less time to setup. The Asus Windows Mixed Reality headset will cost 449 Euros ($535 | Rs. 34,000) and the price includes a pair of motion controller.
Besides refreshed XPS 13 with a new chip, Dell also introduced its frist headset for Microsoft's Windows Mixed Reality platform called Visor. The Visor features cushioned head and face padding, thumbwheel band adjustment for comfort and smart weight balancing, that takes pressure off the nose and cheeks. It has dual 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution LCD display panel to deliver 360-degree immersive contents, and uses the same technology used in Microsoft HoloLens including inside-out tacking cameras with a 360-degree panoramic view. The Mixed Reality headset comes with Visor Controllers, that allow for complete flexibility offering six degrees of movement in a three-dimensional spaces. The controllers allow users total control with haptic feedback, thumb stick and buttons fully tracked by sensors in the headset. The Dell Visor has been priced at $359.99, or with the controller at $459.99, and will be available starting October 17 in the U.S. Source
Last year HTC forayed into the virtual reality segment with the $700 Vive VR headset. It also made its way to India, back in April this year for a whooping Rs. 92,990. Now it has received price cut in the U.S and India. The HTC Vive VR headset price has been slashed by $200 in the U.S and is now available for $599, while in India it has received Rs. 16,000, and will now sell for Rs. 76,990 exclusively on Amazon India. Even with the price cut, the VR headset in India costs more than double the U.S price. It also comes bundled with a free trial of Viveport (HTC's global store for VR content) Subscription, which gives you access to over 200 virtual-reality game. You can pick a maximum of five titles in a month. To recap the feature, HTC Vive is powered by Valves Steam VR tracking for its VR experience. It has room-scale motion with precision tracking, meaning users can walk around and explore virtual space from all angles to experience virtual reality. The headset features built-in front camera that blends physical objects into the virtual world and room scale movement. It also features 110 degree field of view, intuitive controls and HD haptic feed back. The VR headset ships with a pair of wireless VR controllers with haptic feedback and dual-stage triggers, Vive base station (to track users movements), a Vive Link Box and a pair of earbuds. It's worth mentioning that the minimum requirements your PC needs to run Vive include ― Intel Core i5-4590/AMD FX 8350 processor; NVIDIA GTX970/AMD Radeon R9 290 GPU; 4GB RAM; HDMI 1.4/DisplayPort 1.2; USB 2.0 port; Windows 7 and up.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ has all the required hardware to support Google's Daydream VR platform, but initially it lacked the support. The South Korean tech giant at Google I/O confirmed that the Galaxy S8 line will get Daydream support "over the summer". Now an update to the Galaxy S8 & S8+ is seeding worldwide, that will enable Daydream VR platform. It's a server side switch, rather than a OTA update, and according to a Reddit users, clearing Google VR Service app's data, enabled Daydream support. To utilize Daydream and experience virtual reality, you'll need a Daydream View headset, which is available for Rs. 6,499 exclusively on Flipkart. ($79 in the U.S). Also to get access to VR contents like videos, games and apps, download the Google Daydream VR app from the Play Store. The Galaxy S8 & Galaxy S8+ joins a handful of devices to support Daydream VR such as Pixel, Pixel XL, Moto Z, Moto Z Force, ZTE Axon 7, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Porsche Design Mate 9 and Asus ZenFone AR. Additionally Google has promised that by the end of the year a total of 11 Android smartphones will be Daydream ready. The upcoming LG V30, Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 are most likely to support Daydream. Source | Via
Google's Daydream VR Platform lets you experience VR using a compatible smartphone with Daydram supported VR headset, though the company is also working on standalone Daydream VR headset as well. Currently only a handful of devices are compatible with Daydream VR platform. However, now Google has announced that it will add more smartphones to the compatibility list. The Pixel maker has promised that by the end of the year a total of 11 Android smartphones will be Daydream ready. It also added that Galaxy S8 & S8 Plus will soon be compatible with Daydream. Google has already confirmed that LG's upcoming flagship, V30 will be Daydream ready, and it is most likely that the upcoming Pixel 2 and Pixel XL 2 will also support the platform. Meanwhile, according to 9to5 Google, Verizon models of Galaxy S8 in the US has received an update that enables Daydream VR platform. The update should also roll out to unlocked models, as well as other markets soon. As of now, Pixel, Pixel XL, Moto Z, Moto Z Force, ZTE Axon 7, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Porsche Design Mate 9, Asus ZenFone AR and Galaxy S8 works with Google's Daydream View VR headset, that costs Rs. 6,499 in India and $70 in the U.S Via
HTC at ChinaJoy entertainment expo introduced a new VR headset called Vive Standalone for the China market. Unlike Vive VR headset, that needs to be connected to a PC to work, the new Vive Standalone works on its own, without the need of any wires or phone, as all the processing power and display is built into the headset for an untethered VR experience. The Vive Standalone is said to be a premium VR headset powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 Mobile Platform, and promises outstanding standalone VR experience. HTC says it will be easy to use, light-weight and portable. HTC is already working on Google Daydream platform based VR headset complete with Daydream ready Google Play Store built-in to download VR contents and apps. However, HTC's standalone VR headset for China will not have PlayStore, instead will utilize HTC's Viveport platform to offer VR contents and apps including games, education, tourism and more. Based on the new teaser, the Vive Standalone headset releasing in China, is most likely to have the same design as HTC's Daydream-ready standalone VR headset, which is expected to launch in the US later this year. Unfortunately other details regarding specs, pricing and availability date are still unknown.
YouTube has teamed up with Daydream team for a new VR video format VR180, that will allow you to create VR content more easily. The new video format is being touted to deliver 3D video while captuing 180 degress. VR180 video format focuses on what's infort of you and will give a person 180-degree view of VR, instead of 360-degree. When you watch VR180 on a normal display, the content will be seen in wide-angle view, and on VR headsets, in 3D view. The company says VR180 format "transition seamlessly to a VR experience when viewed with Cardboard, Daydream, and PSVR, which allow you to view the images stereoscopically in 3-D, where near things look near, and far things appear far." With VR180 creators will be able to set up and film videos in a same way they would with any other camera.YouTube also announced that new affordable camera for VR180 from LG, Lenovo and Yi are on the way, so that anyone can make VR videos. These cameras will be released this winter and other manufacturers have to register to VR180 certification program to make VR180 supported cameras. Source
HTC has announced a new VR headset called HTC Link, designed to be work with the company's latest flagship HTC U11. It is currently available in Japan, and HTC has no plans for a wider-release. Even though it works with HTC U11 smartphone, the HTC Link also has its own built-in display with two 3.6-inch screen bearing the resolution 1080 x 1200 and 90Hz refresh rate. It boasts six degree-of-freedom motion tracking, first for a smartphone-based VR headset and offered 100-degree viewing angles.
The HTC Link includes external sensors (to track the controller), USB Type-C port, 3.5mm headphone jack, LED markers for the head-mounted display and 2800mAh battery. It also features a special Ghost In the Shell-themed VR experience content, and comes bundled with a set of motion controller, stereoscopic camera and a set of earbuds. Interestingly, HTC is also working with Google on a new standalone VR headset with 6DOF tracking running on Google's Daydream platform. It will break cover later this year. Via
Google launched the Daydream virtual reality platform at last year I/O 2016, allowing you to use compatible smartphone with Daydream supported headset for a immersive VR experience. Now a year later at Google I/O 2017, the company announced that its Daydream VR platform will soon support standalone devices , which means you will won't require a smartphone to experience Daydream VR. Google has teamed up with Qualcomm to create a standalone headset reference design powered by the Snapdragon 835 VR Platform. These headsets will be released By Google's partner companies later this year and will feature in-built WorldSense positional tracking, which is based on Tango-based tracking technology. This technology allows the headset to track your movements in space, without the need of having to install any external sensor. Currently HTC and Lenovo are working on devices using Qualcomm's reference design and plans to launch standalone Daydream VR headsets later this year. At the moment there is no information of the price. As mentioned earlier, standalone VR headsets doesn't require to be paired with a smartphone or PC, instead it come with built-in screen, processor, positional head-tracking along with sensor to function as a standalone device to deliver a high-quality VR experience. In simple words, all the core components are built into the headset. Meanwhile, Google also announced that Samsung's Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ will get Daydream support via a software update this summer. And LG's next flagship phone, most likely the V30, which will launch later this year will be Daydream-ready out of the box. These devices will join Google's Pixel phones, Moto Z, Huawei Mate 9 and ZTE Axon 7, among other handful of phones to support Daydream platform. Source
Samsung at MWC 2017 introduced the updated Gear VR headset with a wireless controller powered by Oculus, but did not reveal the price and availability details. Now at the Galaxy S8 launch event, the South Korean tech giant revealed both the details. The new Samsung Gear VR headset with controller will cost $129 and will be available from April 21 in the US. If you already own a Gear VR, than you get just buy the controller separately for $39. To refresh your memory, the Gear VR's controller sports an ergonomic, curved design, that allows for one-handed control for better motion interaction. It provides various forms of motion like ability to point, drag and drop, tilt, shoot among others for an enhanced gaming experience. The controller has a touchpad, home button, volume and back keys and a wrist wrap to offer a secure grip. At launch, the controller will be compatible with 20 titles, however, Samsung says it plans to add 50 more games in the coming months. As far as the updated Gear VR headset is concerned, it features 42mm lenses with 101-degree FOV (field of view) and advanced distortion correction technology to minimize motion sickness. It supports both micro USB and USB Type-C port. The new Samsung Gear VR weighs 345g and comes in Orchid Gray color, while the Oculus powered controller weighs 64g and comes in Black color. They are compatible with Galaxy S8, Galaxy S8+, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+
Back in October, Microsoft at the Windows 10 event announced that it will bring affordable Windows 10 compatible Mixed Reality headsets to the market starting at $299 (Rs. 20,000) in partnership with HP, Lenovo, Dell, Acer, Asus and 3Glasses. On Thursday, Microsoft at GDC 2017 (Game Developers Conference) in San Francisco announced that it will start shipping the development kits for Windows Mixed Reality (previously named Windows Holographic) created in partnership with Acer starting this month. The developer kit will include Developer edition of Acer headset, documentation and access to Windows 10 Insider preview builds and SDK (software development kit) to enable software and game developers to build software for the platform. Acer's Windows Mixed Reality Development Edition headset features two 1440 x 1440 pixel LCD displays with refresh rate up to 90 Hz. It also has built-in audio out and microphone support via 3.5mm jack, HDMI 2.0 (display) and USB 3.0 (data). There's also a camera in the front, along with built-in sensor for inside-out tracking. For the uninitiated Mixed reality is a blend of virtual and augmented reality to produce new environments, where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time. Read More: Microsoft reveals Windows 10 Mixed Reality minimum PC specs Microsoft is yet to announce the price of the development kit. The company also plans to bring mixed reality experiences to other platform including Xbox One and Project Scorpio in 2018.
Samsung at its MWC press conference has announced an updated Gear VR headset with a controller powered by Oculus. The new controller sports an ergonomic, curved design, that allows one-hand control for better motion interaction. It also provides various forms of motion like ability to point, drag and drop, tilt, shoot among other options for an enhanced gaming experience. The controller includes home, volume and back keys so you can easily move through the content without breaking immersion while playing or watching videos. It also has a wrist wrap to offer a secure grip. The new Gear VR with controller features 42mm lenses with 101-degree FOV (field of view) and advanced distortion correction technology to minimize motion sickness. It supports both micro USB and USB Type-C port thanks to converter which comes bundled with the headset. The new Samsung Gear VR measures 207.8 x 122.5 x 98.6mm, weighs 345g and is compatible with Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 edge, Galaxy Note5, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S6 edge+ Samsung is yet to reveal the pricing and availability details.
Qualcomm on Thursday launched a new virtual reality development kit (VRDK) for the Snapdragon 835 mobile platform. The development kit gives developers early access to VR head mounted display (HMD) based on Snapdragon 835 platform for a standalone all-in-one wireless VR headset design. The Snapdragon 835 based virtual reality development kit includes 4MP 2560 x 1440 WQHD AMOLED display (2MP per eye), 4GB RAM, 64GB flash storage and Integrated Qualcomm Aqstic audio codec (WCD9335). It supports WiFi, Bluetooth and USB 3.1 Type-C port for power. It offers motion tracking to enable six degrees of freedom with two monchromatic 1MP (1280 x 800) cameras; and eye tracking with monochromatic VGA cameras with active depth sensing. There's also a trackpad on the right side of the head-mounted display for input. For the trackpad, Qualcomm announced that it is partnering with Leap Motion to integrate its hand-tracking technology into the platform. The integration lets Qualcomm to render hand movements with low latency, essentially allowing you to use your hands as the controller in virtual reality. The virtual reality development kit is a reference design for third parties to create their own platform and develop VR headsets and Qualcomm has no plans to sell it to the general public. Apart from developer kit, Qualcomm also announced HMD Accelerator program, under which the chip maker will provide tools to OEM so they can build VR products and bring them to the market quickly. Qualcomm says the development kit will be available in the second quarter of 2017 through Qualcomm Developer Network, and VR OEM devices built with Snapdragon 835 are expected to ship in H2, 2017. Source 1 | 2 | 3
