All Mode
The Oculus Rift headset has been around for roughly a year now. This means that we should be getting an update sooner rather than later. There have been rumors that the first glimpses of the new Oculus Rift headset will occur at the Facebook Conference F8 which happens April 18 through April 19th.
Image credit: Oculus
More than likely, key technologies that will drive the new Oculus Rift will be shown off to the public. As for the headset itself? Early prototypes will be shown behind closed doors. As to what features will make the new Oculus Rift an update over the original? Facebook and Lord Zuckerberg have been feeding us bits of information throughout the year.
Last October, the first information about the new headset slipped from the mouth of Zuckerberg himself.
Facebook Hints
Image credit: Oculus and LoveHoney
Zuckerberg mentioned that there were prototypes in the works at Facebook-owned Oculus that combined the features of the Samsung Gear VR and the computer-driven Oculus Rift. Combining the best of the both makes sense, especially given that the Samsung Gear VR is the most brand recognizable virtual reality headset (See report below).
Image credit: ReportLinker
As to the specifics, of course, Mark Zuckerberg made his employees keep their mouths firmly shut. Gag orders are quite common at Facebook after all. The little bit of info released so far does give us an idea where Oculus is going. This is more obvious when considering the direction of Samsung’s new Gear VR headset (which was developed in part by Oculus).
Samsung’s new Gear VR doesn’t offer much in terms of new features. It works the same basic way. You plug in your phone to the plastic headset. The phone provides the visuals with its sharp screen and fast graphics processing units.
Image credit: Android Central
What is new is the Gear VR’s touch sensitive controller. Controllers are an area where Oculus is obviously experimenting and arguably one of the areas where they fall behind HTC Vive’s headset. The new Gear VR controller is small, incredibly simple, and very easy to use. I wouldn’t be surprised if we see a more basic controller like this released for use with the Oculus Rift unit itself.
Beyond a new controller, Zuckerberg’s hints also imply that the more mobile aspects of the Gear VR could be coming for the Oculus Rift headset itself. If this is the case, I think the new Oculus Rift may straddle the line of a completely portable independent VR headset set and a computer driven VR headset. In my opinion, other hints, and the overall trend towards a wireless solution to PC virtual reality support this position.
Wireless Oculus?
Gear VR. Image credit: Samsung
With all this in mind, it is very likely that the new Oculus Rift will be wireless and have independent processing abilities while connecting to the PC. This means that the headset itself may have some CPU and GPU processing capabilities akin to the Intel Alloy or the Microsoft HoloLens. Rather than a full CPU solution, it’s more likely that the new headset will offer a high-end mobile CPU that will allow it independently operate for mobile virtual reality duties like web browsing, Netflix, 360 video viewing, watching VR porn, and low-end gaming.
This CPU could allow the headset to control inside-out trackers on the headset as well. With new high-powered Wi-Fi standards on the way, the headsets mobile CPU will probably enable communication or fast data transmission to the PC. With this setup, the headset will be using ultra-fast Wi-Fi transmission to beam a video stream to the headset and orientation data from the headsets trackers to the PC. This will allow the headset to retain its ability to act as a high-end virtual reality platform.
Image credit: New Atlas
When connected to the PC, it will work much like the Oculus does now. Yet, it will not require wires.
Of course, all of this is speculation. We may only see elements of this set-up released slowly year by year. On the other hand, such a prototype could be nearly completed yet never released for commercial, market, or legal reasons. Either way, Oculus will be moving forward and moving forward soon. We can be sure that whatever Oculus Releases will be better than ever for watching virtual reality porn!
Well of course we can expect nothing but the best from Mark Z… in terms of the geeks. The only question is if it will please non-techy users as well. Right?