This year we’ll see a number of new VR headsets that look set to deliver next-generation experiences thanks to their technological upgrades.
PlayStation VR 2 joins Meta Quest Pro – which launches in 2022 – in providing eye tracking, which will allow developers to create more immersive and ambitious software experiences. The Oculus Quest 3 is believed to bring the color pass for more realistic mixed reality experiences to Meta’s budget-friendly lineup. and we could also see the rumored Apple VR headset, which reports say will be “a laptop for your face,” with specs we can’t wait to try.
But what will the next generation of VR headsets offer? For some possible answers, we spoke to Leland Hedges, General Manager EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) for headphone maker Pico – here’s what he had to say.
Improvement of current specifications
Hedges first suggested the headset upgrades we can expect to see when the Pico 5, Oculus Quest 3, and Meta Quest Pro 2 launch: more of the same, but better. With this, we are talking about devices with increased computing power thanks to the latest generations of processors, using higher resolution screens and with improvements in the quality of the existing color pass and depth sensors.
Hopefully we’ll also see features currently exclusive to premium models – such as face and eye-tracking – introduced to the brands’ more budget-friendly ranges (provided it doesn’t add too much to the cost). .
It’s not just about what’s under the hood, though, Hedges added that “a more comfortable form factor has tremendous utility for users across the business and consumer space.” If you can’t stand wearing a VR headset for very long, then upgrading its battery and equipping it with laptop-like levels of computing power is pretty pointless.
More VR content
As great as hardware upgrades are, Hedges noted that you also need content, or you’ll be left with a powerful device that can’t do as much. And not just more games.
“Right now VR headsets are seen as gaming-focused devices, I think for VR to become ‘mainstream’ – if you want to use that word – we need to offer more types of experiences,” he told us.
That doesn’t suggest Pico is leaving gaming anytime soon – Hedges said he couldn’t go into detail about what IP Pico is developing and the partnerships it has with developers (like Ubisoft’s upcoming Just Dance VR exclusive). , but added that he believes VR content can go further.
We’re seeing more and better VR concerts, people are watching sporting events in VR – we’re also talking big leagues like the NBA on Meta and the FIFA World Cup on Pico – and people are training in VR. Mental health could also benefit from VR software, with Hedges noting that “People are using VR experiences in exposure therapy, working on getting closer to a spider or getting more comfortable with heights.”
We’ll just have to wait and see what kind of experiences are in the works.
5G/6G connectivity
But a truly next-generation device can’t just be a device that does everything that came before it better. we need new and exciting features and 5G or 6G connectivity would provide great utility in a VR headset.
Hedges said he doesn’t think we’ll see that in the near future, but in the medium to long term he expects a telco and an XR handset maker to come together and create a “really compelling offering,” likely in the enterprise space.
The Meta Quest Pro and Pico 4 Enterprise headsets allow partners to meet in VR in a way that is more interactive than a standard voice or video call. So, just as your company might want you to have a work phone so you can take a business call from anywhere in the world, an employer might want their employees to bring a 5G headset so they can take a VR call anywhere and Whenever.
And with devices like the rumored Apple VR headset expected to offer laptop-like functionality, with high-end specs like Apple’s M2 chip powering many of the best Macbooks and Macs, a 5G connection would make device to feel truly portable. You could set up your VR desk almost anywhere you want – although until battery life improves, it’ll have to be somewhere near a wall outlet.
From a more consumer perspective, 5G wearables open up the possibility for more interactive multiplayer mixed reality experiences. You and your friends could meet at a virtual park and play a game of paintball, or sit at a virtual bench and play chess, to pick just a few possible use cases.
Modular design
Upgrades are great for our gadgets, but not so great for our wallets. So one way we could see manufacturers strike a balance between offering budget-friendly headphones as well as offering options that appeal to buyers (professionals and high-end users) is to make the headphones modular.
We are already beginning to see aspects of this. Hedges was eager to discuss the Pico’s upcoming fitness trackers — additional bands, currently in beta testing, that allow the Pico 4 to track more of the user’s movements. By slipping these optional bands around your ankles, the headset can not only track your arm movements but also your legs, which would make the Pico 4 better for VR fitness enthusiasts (as their workouts can affect their feet) and for players looking for more immersive experiences.
HTC’s upcoming Vive XR Elite will also have a modular design. Its battery is removable to make it lighter for wired VR, and HTC says it will release an eye and face tracking add-on for the device in the future. If you just want the base product, you’ll be able to pick it up for a seemingly reasonable $1,099 / £1,299 (about AU$2,300), and you’ll have to pay extra for the upgrades you’re interested in.
To me, this modular system sounds perfect. I recently wrote about how much I like the Meta Quest Pro, with its processing power upgrades, over my Quest 2, but the expensive eye-tracking just isn’t worth it. If I could pick up the Quest Pro for a cheaper price and optionally add eye-tracking when it becomes more useful, that would be fantastic.
Subscriptions and packages
Speaking of making headsets more affordable, Hedges’ final pitch for a next-gen upgrade was about affordability — a factor he and Pico know is one of the most important when it comes to consumer VR. So Hedges predicts that we’ll see subscriptions and bundles become more and more the norm for XR device makers in the future.
We’ve seen a few VR hardware bundles over the years, but a lot of them were kind of rubbish – usually you’d get the headset at full price, along with some extras you didn’t need. More recently, Meta and Pico have been bundling software with their hardware and offering appropriate discounts. Each company’s Black Friday sales not only reduced the cost of the headsets, but also provided users with some of the best VR games for free.
Hedges added that bundles don’t just make devices more affordable, they make them more affordable. Users have instant access to a good mix of titles that show them what their new gadget can do. Once they’re done with them, they’ll have a good feel for the experiences they do or don’t like, and can then find new content based on their updated preferences.
Another way we could see the next iteration of the headset become more affordable is through a subscription model – similar to a phone contract or Microsoft’s Xbox All-Access deal, with the cost of purchasing the device spread over in several months. Buying a product in installments rather than outright has risks, but spreading the cost can make expensive technology more affordable.
We’re already seeing some subscription models in the VR space, but on the software side. Just like Netflix or Xbox Game Pass, HTC’s Viveport Infinity subscriptions give you access to a library of content (in this case VR games) that you can download and enjoy as much as you like for a fee of $13 / £13 / $18 AU$ per month. I’ve said before that I think Meta should adopt this kind of strategy for Quest 2’s software catalog, but we’ll have to wait and see if, for their future devices, they adopt this or any of the other ideas discussed here.