Despite the fact that virtual reality has, in some way, been a part of the gaming world since the 1980s, early attempts at making the technology stick were futile, to say the least. In the past decade or so, we’ve soared leaps and bounds in both VR and augmented reality tech to the point where it’s no longer a question of if these funny little headsets are just a trend in the gaming world, but when they will make a serious mark in our everyday lives. Previewed at CES last week, Sony is planning the release of its XR Headset, which will transcend the world of the user and into that of the creator.
Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 Platform, the XR (“eXtended Reality”) Headset is aimed at professionals working in a 3D space, allowing them to visualize objects right in front of them or in their surroundings to make creation easier and more effective. Utilizing 4K OLED Microdisplays and video see-through functionality, the headset ”allows creators to go through the whole process of modeling to review, all while wearing the head-mounted display.” Visualizing the real-scale 3D models in front of you, the device also comes with a ring controller for manipulating virtual objects and a pointer controller for fine-tuning.
The XR Headset isn’t the only non-gaming headset coming out soon. Apple’s Vision Pro aims at tackling the everyday consumer by letting them use their go-to smartphone apps such as FaceTime and Photos, as well as offering a library of over 150 movie titles to watch. However, Sony’s dedication to the creator should earn it distinction in the space while also helping to change the future of design.
There’s no price stated for the XR Headset as of yet, but stay tuned on Sony’s website for more information in the future.
