Device Makers Planning 'True VR Experiences' on Apple's Iphone This Fall

Virtual Reality Headset for iPhone – Fall of 2016

Piper Jaffray, investment firm held sequences of virtual reality panel recently comprising of 13 companies and one of them, IonVR, showed that they expected to have a VR headset for iPhone launching in the fall of 2016. These devices would be somewhat like the Samsung Gear VR headset that utilises Samsung smartphones as the display.

 IonVR, a privately held company that specializes in third-party VR hardware, hopes to have a headset in the fall which would enable the iPhone to be utilised for VR and according to Munster, would come at a price of $100 and $200. Gene Munster, analyst stated that the IonVR product is estimated to be very much advanced than the prevailing iPhone based VR accessories like Google Cardboard and Mattel View-Master.

He is of the belief that those basic products which tend to use IPhone’s Retina display for stimulating VR do not provide `true VR experiences’. However comments from IonVR at the recent panel, recommended that the iPhone could in fact do appropriate VR, with the help of third party hardware, according to Munster. He hopes that those kinds of iPhone connected accessories would start taking off later in the year.

MotionSync – Proprietary Optics System

The Idaho-based IonVR had developed a proprietary optics system known as `MotionSync’ which it claims would reduce motion sickness greatly when utilised with mobile devices like Apple’s iPhone. Unified hardware in its headset is also considered to offload some of the processing from the phone, enabling it to last longer as well as simplify the software development process.

IonVR products are also considered to be modular which means that parts could be replaced or changed out as technology progresses.Virtual reality is talked about much as a hot new technology with concerns that it could follow the boom and bust of 3D TV. Munster states that VR would not flop like 3D in part, due to the larger level of investment in VR with its augmented reality.

He adds that Facebook which owns Oculus VR is firmly dedicated to its success.He informed that, Apple, Google and Sony are expected to be making substantial investment in VR/AR for the next five years. He believes that these investments would lay the groundwork for VR/AR to be the next computing prototype.

Sony – Best Position to Capitalize on VR

Munster has commented that Sony is in one of the best position to capitalize on VR. It has the content, user base and distribution to enable VR to expand rapidly. He added that they have also been impressed with the demos of Sony on `London Heist’ and `Walk The Wire’ and the company is said to have a slate of around 80 games that would be made available at the time of the launch later this year. Oculus Rift is said to be shipped in 20 countries on March 28 including the U.S. It would also be made available at select retailers in April and would cost $599. It would need a high-end PC with graphic card. Bundles of Oculus Rift headset together with Oculus-ready PC is priced at $1,499. Samsung, in the meanwhile is endorsing its smartphone-based Gear VR that tends to use Oculus technology and the Gear VR will cost $99 which needs a new Samsung Galaxy phone.