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[ArtHands]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-plan-200-wireless-oculus-vr-headset-for-2018

By wireless, the article mean standalone, which means no need for smartphone nor PC at all.

• Code-named "Pacific"
• Resembles a more compact version of Rift, lighter than Gear VR
• Design/features not finalized
• similar interface to Gear VR and can be controlled by wireless remote
• different from the "Santa Cruz" prototype that facebook shows last year
• Plan to enlist Xiaomi to produce the new headset. Seems they are planning to sell it in China under Xiaomi's branding as Facebook is banned in China (Rift is not sold in China)
• Plan to power with Snapdragon mobile chip from Qualcomm
• Power is between Gear VR and Oculus Rift
• No positional tracking
• Planning to brief content makers by October
• downloads store will be re-written and accessible from VR interface itself
• ship in 2018
• $200

Oculus Connect happens in October so we might start to hear it at the event then if its true. Interestingly Google is also partnering with HTC/Lenovo to release standalone VR devices later this year as well, and will run on Google Daydream platform.

Like current Oculus products, the new headset will be geared toward immersive gaming, watching video and social networking, said the people who asked not to be named to discuss a private matter. Code-named “Pacific,” the device resembles a more compact version of the Rift and will be lighter than Samsung’s Gear VR headset, one of the people said. The device’s design and features aren’t finalized and could still change, but the idea is that someone will be able to pull the headset out of their bag and watch movies on a flight just the way you can now with a phone or tablet.

The new headset will have a similar interface to Samsung’s VR Gear and can be controlled by a wireless remote. Facebook has said it’s also working on a prototype device code-named Santa Cruz that’s basically a wireless Rift, with the full power of the original device sans PC.

Facebook plans to power the product with a Snapdragon mobile chip from Qualcomm, people familiar with the matter said. Qualcomm declined to comment. The device’s gaming power is superior to that of the Gear VR, but unlike the powerful Rift device, will not include positional tracking technology. This means that the device won’t be able to tell where its user is spatially, which is useful for tasks like virtual rock climbing. A future version of the product will have that technology, according to a person familiar with the plans.

The company plans to begin briefing content makers, such as video game designers, on the device by October so that the product’s application store could launch with compatible games, one of the people said. The downloads store will be re-written and accessible from the virtual reality interface itself, this person said.

 

[Bsigg12]

Day one at $200 if the battery life is decent and if the resolution and FOV are solid.

I'm overly interested in all kinds of VR headsets and want to continue building up my little collection of them.

 

[WoolyNinja]

The title suggest this will be more similar to Gear VR rather than Oculus Rift.

Yep, if its wireless it would have to be as the tech isn't there yet to do full blown VR wirelessly.

 

[DouglasteR]

Hoping for higher res !

 

[greenmind]

i guess this will be my first foray into VR porn.... and my wifes.

 

[the TMO]

Without a motion controller is pretty much useless.

 

[thekonamicode]

Hoping for higher res !

Get ready for disappointment!

 

[Wollan]

$200? No positional tracking, likely bad specs.

But certainly nice enough for viewing purposes (Netflix, photos, real-estate etc).

I guess it's an entrée for their full-on standalone device with positional tracking to come in ~2019.

 

[Tain]

200 is probably the right price for the standalone Oculus inside-out tracking headset.

now if only we could get lighthouse quality tracked controllers along with something like this, lol

$200? No positional tracking, likely bad specs.

It'll definitely have inside-out positional tracking similar to the upcoming Google and Microsoft headsets.

I can't imagine Oculus ever making a new HMD without positional tracking.

edit: i'm dumbass

 

[Kaako]

Sounds like a suped-up GearVR.

 

[Teknopathetic]

"$200? Seriously doubt it."

Read the article. It's not comparable to the Rift. It's more like a GearVR but with the phone completely integrated.

 

[wapplew]

$200? No positional tracking, likely bad specs.

You know what VR content doesn't need positional tracking or controller?

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

I've used a vive. What exactly does a gear vr, etc. Do that's good?

 

[kinggroin]

No positional tracking just means it's a Gear VR with some horsepower behind it. Not seeing the big news here


Also, what a dumb-shit thing to say, "Power between Rift and GearVR" uh, yeah,? You don't say. As if the Rift is fixed hardware.

I've used a vive. What exactly does a gear vr, etc. Do that's good?

It's wireless. Other than that, absolutely nothing.

 

[The Greek Freak]

The new headset will have a similar interface to Samsung’s VR Gear and can be controlled by a wireless remote. Facebook has said it’s also working on a prototype device code-named Santa Cruz that’s basically a wireless Rift, with the full power of the original device sans PC.

Until VR doesn't need a separate PC it will be a tiny ass niche that seems to only exist for VC fools to get burned and directionless indie devs to get their expectations out of whack.

 

[crisdecuba]

$200? No positional tracking, likely bad specs.

This is my thinking as well. No positional tracking is a dealbreaker for me. I can't wait for the second generation vive.

 

[KingSnake]

Sounds like a Gear with the phone included. And I'm not sure why would somebody want that.

Running Android?

 

[Tain]

Until VR doesn't need a separate PC it will be a tiny ass niche that seems to only exist for VC fools to get burned and directionless indie devs to get their expectations out of whack.

ah yeah, all those devs who have no idea what's going on in the field they spend all day working in

 

[Neuromancer]

Until VR doesn't need a separate PC it will be a tiny ass niche that seems to only exist for VC fools to get burned and directionless indie devs to get their expectations out of whack.

Stay Salty™

 

[Alienfan]

This is the one step in the direction VR needs to go. A shame about no positional tracking, at least the price is reasonable. The day VR is wireless and doesn't need sensors, is the day I finally buy a headset.

 

[FlyinJ]

No positional tracking? Wtf

 

[LordRaptor]

Sounds like a Gear with the phone included. And I'm not sure why would somebody want that.

Running Android?

I don't know what specific component savings (price, thermal envelope, battery life, overall device capabilities) are possible removing the phone parts from what is not a phone, but I imagine there must be some.

 

[Tain]

I can't imagine releasing a headset at this point without positional tracking. Honestly baffling to me.

 

[Kaako]

No positional tracking is wack as hell. But for $200 & wireless, I guess you gotta make some major sacrifices.
Hard pass for me personally.

 

[Gestault]

I think this is is a very, very smart move for more "entry level" VR. I think the gap between the $20 phone-holders you can buy a Wegmans vs what we would think of as "proper" headsets (in the $400+ range) is so stark, it basically ignores what's normally thought of as the mainstream.

 

[Lord Error]

No positional tracking :\ I was hoping this would be something truly new/good.

 

[DieH@rd]

"Bloomberg: Facebook unveiling $200 wireless Oculus VR headset in 2018"
Cool!

"•No positional tracking"
NOPE, no buy from me.

 

[jediyoshi]

No positional tracking​

Poison.

Get out.

 

[DavidDesu]

No positional tracking...

I feel like with what AR Kit is doing in iOS 11 inside out tracking good enough for VR seems very close to coming to fruition. And pretty cheaply too, no need for expensive extra sensors, just some decent cameras and the usual sensors modern phones use these days.

Positional tracking is what sells VR so to miss it out seems dumb. Should be absolutely essential for any future VR headset.


EDIT: I really do think Apple are going to do an iPod/iPhone with their own take on AR/VR glasses in a couple of years time. Everything seems headed there and they will finally make VR truly breakthrough and useful for people and blow the others out the water once they aim for it. Those AR Kit ruler demos are sort of mind blowing by how simple but practical it is.

 

[Paganmoon]

• Power is between Gear VR and Oculus Rift

So somewhere between a Samsung Galaxy S6 and an NVidia GTX 1080TI (in SLI) in power, really small window.

Right...

 

[Alx]

I've used a vive. What exactly does a gear vr, etc. Do that's good?

I guess you can wear it in bed.

 

[collige]

so it's a Daydream competitor except with worse specs

 

[Nexus Zero]

I'm a VR early adopter, bought the original Rift dev kit, the Rift and had a Gear VR for a short time. So I know a thing or too about burning money on this. But without positional tracking I'm fully out of any future VR headsets.

 

[ArtHands]

Sounds like a Gear with the phone included. And I'm not sure why would somebody want that.

Running Android?

This lowers the barrier of people who want to get invested in mobile VR yet doesn't want or can't afford to get a high end Samsung phone.

No positional tracking sucks, but considering the price tag I can't say that's surprising. Its the first step towards standalone VR

 

[Lilalaunebaer]

Reading thread title. WHAT.

Reading OP: self contained thing with a snapdragon in it - Oh......

 

[cakely]

"No positional tracking".

I am not the target market.

Actually, I'm pretty sure gamers aren't the target market, either.

 

[thuway]

Welp this is the first step towards affordable accessible VR. I wonder how this influences a PS VR 2.0 and the next Vive.

 

[AllIsOneIsNone]

This will be good for videos and some apps, not for immersive gaming experiences. It's not the CV2, that probably won't be out for a couple years at least.

 

[ArtHands]

No positional tracking...

I feel like with what AR Kit is doing in iOS 11 inside out tracking good enough for VR seems very close to coming to fruition. And pretty cheaply too, no need for expensive extra sensors, just some decent cameras and the usual sensors modern phones use these days.

Positional tracking is what sells VR so to miss it out seems dumb. Should be absolutely essential for any future VR headset.


EDIT: I really do think Apple are going to do an iPod/iPhone with their own take on AR/VR glasses in a couple of years time. Everything seems headed there and they will finally make VR truly breakthrough and useful for people and blow the others out the water once they aim for it. Those AR Kit ruler demos are sort of mind blowing by how simple but practical it is.

Guessing positional tracking tech is not mature enough for standalone mobile VR devices yet, especially if we are talking about affordable price tag.
But the article also said the specs are not finalized yet, so things could change.

 

[klaushm]

People are forgetting that both Daydream and Gear VR use a smartphone.

$200 for a standalone VR is really cheap. I'm expecting the specs to be really low.

 

[PandaShake]

GearVR-like devices seems to be the stop gap for VR companies until GPUs are capable of higher FOV and resolution.

 

[Backlogger]

Interesting, but this still doesn't peak my interest in getting into VR.

I think though that by mainstreaming it like this they will have a much bigger pool of users for feedback on the direction to go with VR entertainment.

For gaming, in the long run, I think I'd lean more towards higher end hardware. But again, based on my experiences so far (still have yet to try the Vive) I would much rather game on a high quality monitor or TV.

 

[KingSnake]

This lowers the barrier of people who want to get invested in mobile VR yet doesn't want or can't afford to get a high end Samsung phone.

No positional tracking sucks, but considering the price tag I can't say that's surprising. Its the first step towards standalone VR

Yes, but this will have very limited applications given the expected specifications at this price.

 

[Lonely1]

I thought this was going to be a VR set for PC. Looks like I will be staying with my GearVR then.

 

[cakely]

This lowers the barrier of people who want to get invested in mobile VR yet doesn't want or can't afford to get a high end Samsung phone.

No positional tracking sucks, but considering the price tag I can't say that's surprising. Its the first step towards standalone VR

No positional tracking means that this isn't a gaming peripheral, for all intents and purposes.

 

[gdt]

This doesn't seems like its for the users of neogaf. Its for a different market

 

[Slayven]

I always said VR won't hit mainstream until they go wireless

 

[Kyzer]

Sounds like crap and the opposite of what im waiting for to jump in but if it helps whatever

 

[LordRaptor]

No positional tracking means that this isn't a gaming peripheral, for all intents and purposes.

Well, VR itself isn't conceptually a gaming peripheral.

I can certainly see Facebook being able to easily promote the telepresence experience of being on stage at your favorite bands sold out for months concert.

 

[Tain]

I always said VR won't hit mainstream until they go wireless

it won't hit the mainstream even with wireless unless it gets positional tracking as well.

I'm not even talking about gaming use here. I'm saying that VR without positional tracking is uncomfortable and, yeah, potentially damaging to VR's future success.