Oculus is currently developing a wireless headset which will combine the power of its Rift VR headset with the flexibility of a wireless system. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement at the Oculus Connect developers conference. Oculus is owned by Facebook.
Zuckerberg explained two different segments of Virtual Reality. The first segment consists of cordless VR headsets such as Samsung Gear, Google DayDream View and a host of other VR viewers. These headsets are mobile, but their capabilities are far too constrained in comparison to their PC-based counterparts. Their lack of ability to track full head movements restricts the utility of VR experience.
The PC based VR headset segment is dominated by Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. These headsets are tethered to a powerful PC and offer a compelling experience. However, currently these headsets are not only much more expensive than mobile phone based headsets but also are constricting, owing to their wired connection to a PC.
However, Oculus is now looking to combine the best of both the worlds. While Zuckerberg did not provide any release date or pricing information, he stated that the headset would be cheaper than the current Oculus Rift model. The conference also featured a demonstration video from the upcoming headset.
The new headset is likely to use 'inside out' tracking technology, which will use headset's built-in cameras and computer vision algorithm to provide far superior experience. Oculus will be able to boost its position in VR market, provided it delivers the product before anyone else does.