When will oculus quest 2 virtual reality glasses probably launched?
If the reports are true, for another few months we will not see the Oculus Search 2 at the earliest in October and, if the coronavirus pandemic continues for another few months, not until 2021. At least that's the latest from a survey from Bloomberg that gave us our first look at the next-gen headset from Oculus.
If we don't get the Oculus Quest 2 for another year and a half, what could the company do to make things better? What steps would it take to transform the next Quest into the best VR headset ever?
It's worth investigating every potential path that Oculus could take for the Quest 2 at this stage with so much up in the air–from its controls and interface technology to its applications, accessories and games.
Keeping that in mind, by taking some loose theories we have already encountered and combining them keeping our opinions about where VR is going, we have put together a wishlist for the headset. It may not be exactly the Oculus headset that is putting together, but we expect to see at least some of these ideas on the OQ2.
What is it, then? Oculus' first stand-alone VR headset, the heir to the Oculus Quest.
When the Oculus Quest 2 will be out? Rumors suggest an early date of 2021, What is that going to be the cost? TBD, but the Quest was very successful at $399/ £399.
Oculus Quest 2 release date and price
There is good news here, and bad news. The bad news is that, frankly , we don't have a firm release date from Oculus yet. The good news is we have a rough idea of what it could , based on some Bloomberg reporting.
Facebook originally expected to launch the Oculus Quest 2 at this year's Oculus Connect, according to industry experts who have spoken to Bloomberg. That conference usually held in late September or early October, but because of the pandemic, it may not take place until 2021—hence why we might have to wait until 2021 to get the new headset.
As for costs, well, what to expect is a pretty good idea: $399/ £399. Each Oculus headset ever released has been available for $399/ £399 at launch, and that's not likely to change for Oculus Quest 2, particularly after Oculus had some of its best sales with the Oculus Quest yet.
Based on rumored features that price sounds good, but there's always a chance Oculus could include a last-minute addition to the headset—like, say, 1 TB of flash memory–that could raise the price substantially. But it probably won't happen.
Oculus Quest 2 Leaks and News
If you really know about Oculus Quest 2, you'll recognise it as the codename 'Del Mar' - Oculus for the next hardware.
According to people who have insider knowledge, Del Mar will deliver additional RAM, battery life and a faster processor, and some ergonomic changes, including a reduction in size and weight—but that's as much as we know so far.
UploadVR and Android central corroborated the rumor that Oculus Quest 2 could feature an entirely new controller that would improve tracking, haptics, and finger sensing technology within the current hardware with Facebook-leaked developer documentation, so it looks like a pretty safe bet.
1. Fully hand-held monitoring
Complete support for hand tracking is the highest element on our wishlist for the Oculus Quest 2-from the second you start the headset until you shut it off. Now we still expect most games to use some sort of controller, but it 'd be great if you could navigate the UI and most of the pre-installed apps without ever having to pull out the controllers.
2. A higher resolution screen
While we're on progress, making a slightly higher resolution wouldn't hurt the next-generation Oculus Quest ... as long as it doesn't compromise the refresh rate of the screen or battery life. I know sounds like total wish fulfilment, but all Oculus will need to do here is update the processor inside the headset while throwing in a slightly larger or more powerful battery.
That's easier said than done and could threaten Oculus' goal price point, but when many devices march forward with higher-resolution displays, Oculus will need to remain caught up.
3. Better life on batteries
One of the original Oculus Quest's greatest drawbacks is that its battery life was extremely short-around two hours. Which means there is an enormous potential in the next-generation headset for Oculus to double or even triple battery life.
Obviously, this will be a problem, but one of the potential options is to use Bluetooth LE or a similar device that can transfer data wirelessly without a lot of power drain. It sounds like a longshot, but since Oculus owns both the hardware and software, the Oculus Quest 2 is not out of the question to see some major improvements in this area.
4. Knuckle Controller fails
Although Oculus currently conquers the untethered market with the Oculus Quest, Valve sweeps the PC-powered room with the Valve Index. There is clearly an enormous gap between these two headsets in power and form factor, but one thing Oculus might do to level the playing field is to make these next-gen controllers we've heard about capable of tracking every digit.
Why Oculus should make the change? Recognizing all your fingers in virtual reality makes you experience more immersive, not to mention that it opens the door to several new experiences that are not available on more limited headsets.
5. An Oculus Link Cable, also in the box
One of the Oculus Quest's greatest benefits is it doesn't require a large PC to drive it. And yet, it's nice to connect the Quest to the PC for the times when you're at home to play Oculus Rift games, which didn't make it to the Quest. The not pleasant part? Paying $80 for the Oculus Link Cable accessory.
We certainly didn't blame Oculus for charging for the wire this generation–it released after the Quest was ready–but $80 (£89, around AU$120) feels steep. Oculus would likely pack it in for the next headset or, at least, lower the price to something more fair.
6. Further Oculus Titles in Lab
Though we've mainly concentrated on the technology here, the future of virtual reality largely depends on the experiences you 're going to get after purchasing a headset. The good news is that for funding and publishing VR games, Oculus has one of the best studios in the industry.
Nearly every game released by Oculus Studios has been a feather in the headset's cap, from Lone Echo to Lucky's Tale to Asgard's Wrath, and we are hoping to see the trend continue on its next-gen hardware.
7. More units available to buy at startup
Since last year's holidays, the Oculus Search has been in and out of stock-it's so famous they've become almost impossible to find. Whether that's because Oculus cannot keep up with production or because Oculus is limiting production, demand works in favor of Oculus: it's no secret that scarcity and mouth reviews are powerful ways to keep sales numbers boosting.
That said, if Oculus wants the Quest 2 to become the de facto VR headset, it needs to keep the headset in stock. But they may already know that: one of the potential reasons cited by Bloomberg for the delay is for Oculus to have more production units ready for launch in time—which, if that's the case, seems like a very smart decision on their part.
Facebook and Sony ramp up output of gaming devices
TAIPEI / TOKYO-Facebook and Sony are preparing to increase the output of upcoming gaming devices by as much as 50 percent, showing how big tech companies benefit from consumer thirst for home entertainment during the global coronavirus pandemic, the Nikkei Asian Review has learned.
Facebook's Oculus, the world's leading provider of market share virtual reality headsets, is looking at a growth rate of at least 50 percent from a year ago for its latest version of head-mounted VR devices, driving production to 2 million units, sources said.
Meanwhile, Sony, the world's No. 2 video game console manufacturer after Nintendo shipments, has also raised production orders for its upcoming PlayStation 5 to some 9 million units, out of the approximately 6 million units it had planned for spring, sources familiar with the matter said. PlayStation 5 is the first completely new generation of the console in seven years, following the launch of PlayStation 4 by the Japanese company in 2013 and an upgrade in 2016.
The optimism of the two large tech companies is a powerful sign for a wide range of entertainment suppliers in the second half of 2020, as many tech industry players are still looking for ways to offset the declining smartphone market, the largest consumer electronics gadget.
Facebook's move further underscores the ambition of the social networking giant to further expand its footprint in the emerging VR market, where it is the market leader with around 35% market share. Its first all-in-one VR gaming system-Oculus Quest-has become a hit since we launched it in May 2019.
Compared to the declining smartphone market, VR is still a nascent market, but we are seeing vigorous growth this year and more and more companies are entering the arena. The production forecast for the second half of this year could reach at least two million units, which is already about 1.5 times more than its total output last year, "said Nikkei Asian Review, a source of direct knowledge. "they will launch the new Facebook Oculus VR headset in mass production around the end of July."
But orders could still be subject to change, up or down, depending on market demand after product launch, according to sources.
Compared to the cyclical and relatively mature game console market dominated by Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft, market watchers have said that VR is still a nascent market where a lot of players are trying out new applications. Gaming, however, is still the most important segment.
"During the pandemic, the gaming industry witnessed a record number of additions to online gaming players as more consumers consider gaming at home," Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan told Nikkei Asian Review.
Facebook bought VR startup Oculus for $2 billion in 2014 and scored its first hit with Oculus Quest, which had a starting price of $399. It was the first all-in-one VR gaming device of the company. Also known as a standalone, this type of device features built-in computing capability on a cordless headset, rather than relying on a personal computer with a cord to run the device.
Facebook is looking to further expand the standalone VR, giving users a more immersive experience than PCs and smartphone VR headsets. The U.S. company said it will stop selling Oculus Go, its 2018 entry-level VR device, to focus on the Oculus Quest and Rift offerings, it's more powerful and high-end products in June. Oculus Rift S, introduced in 2019, still needs to be connect to a working computer.
Facebook's founding CEO Mark Zuckerberg said at an earnings conference earlier this year that the company's revenue categorized as "other" amounted to $297 million for the January-March quarter, up 80 percent from a year ago, which was "driven primarily by sales of Oculus products."
Other companies are jostling for market share. HTC, formerly the leading smartphone manufacturer, shifted its focus from handsets to VR, while Sony launched its first PlayStation VR in 2015. Google, Samsung Electronics and Huawei Technologies all introduced phone-based VR headsets using smartphones as VR headsets.
Apple has been working on Augmented Reality Technology for years and has reportedly recently launched an Augmented Reality Device trial, according to The Information Technology Newsletter. VR puts users in a fully artificial digital environment, while AR overlays virtual objects in a real-world environment.
However, no immediate winner has emerged in the nascent battlefield, market watchers said, and the VR headset market is still at an early stage for gamers and commercial users only in some niche applications. Technology relies on fast-speed, low-latency Internet connectivity, and 4 G connectivity does not always meet user expectations.
Suppliers are working on reducing the weight of devices to improve user experience. Market watchers also said that there was a need for more content providers, such as game developers, to create a larger one.
