Unraveling October: Year’s Biggest VR Month
Even if you’ve tried virtual reality or already own a VR system, you wouldn’t disagree with the fact that it is still far from being a certified household name. Even after trying hands on the best of VR gears, no one is practically prepared for what is about to come with the onset of October. Come October and every big brand name will be associated with their individual VR ventures.
The VR industry which sort of began with a Kickstarter campaign in 2012 has grown by leaps and bounds. The Samsung Gear VR and the Oculus have already been seen while Google’s Cardboard box has been viral on the Internet. However, October promises to take Virtual Reality to an all new level.
Well, enough about forecasting, now let’s talk about the biggest announcements in VR which are set to roll as the days pass.
Google Daydream
And, the series of announcement begins with the biggest one which might lead the mainstream adoption of VR in a never before seen way. Coming out of its beta stage, Google’s own VR effort, tagged as the Daydream VR, recently opened up for developers. Daydream is much more sophisticated than the Google’s makeshift Cardboard peripheral, which will allow the users to port their favorite Android apps onto Daydream as VR experiences.
Google will be holding a press event where the company may debut a reference VR headset for its Daydream platform. Manufacturers like Samsung, Huawei, HTC, LG, etc. are said to have been developing phones compatible with the new Daydream platform. Google has played the most important role in popularizing the basic concepts of VR and the number of developers Google might bring into VR with the new venture can surely not be understated.
Playstation VR
When the whole world is capitalizing on the VR front, how could a brand like Sony be left behind? For months, gadget enthusiasts have been speculating the features and release date of the Sony’s PlayStation VR headset. And the day is finally around. Sony is all set to launch the PlayStation VR headset on October 13th and it will be the first mainstream VR gear able to integrate natively with a gaming console, specifically Sony’s own PS4.
At $399, PS VR costs more than some versions of the console itself, but pre-orders sold out faster than any hardware ever. This VR gear is compatible with millions of PlayStation 4 systems already in people’s homes, and Sony promises more than 50 games compatible with the headset through the end of 2016.
Oculus Touch
Oculus Touch was spotted at a store display in London after which the rumors of it to be released in winter started making rounds. According to the store displays, the Oculus touch will cost £190 ($246) in the UK, with the US prices still obscure. Oculus kicks off its third developer conference on October 5. More details about the Touch controllers are expected to make the rounds once the Oculus Connect conference begins.
Once released, the Touch controllers will offer more sophisticated and complex motion control mechanisms and options for Oculus Rift headset owners who have been waiting for its unveiling.
Fans and enthusiasts closely following developments in the VR industry should have plenty of material to ponder on this October, and who knows, there may even be surprise announcements none of us saw coming.
