In 2020, quest 2 release has driven the entire XR industry forward, and in 2021, domestic VR manufacturers such as iQiyi, Pico, and NOLO have released VR all-in-one machines to seize the domestic market, and the VR market can be described as a hundred schools of thought. Now that it has come to 2022, looking back at last year's VR industry events, I can't help but look forward to this year's VR market.
As a VR industry editor, I have experienced PSVR, Quest2 generation, Neo3 and other devices. Spring 2022 is approaching, and I am looking forward to talking about some of the products I am most looking forward to this year.
1. PSVR series imagination
PSVR has been released for five years, but it has always existed in the VR market, and even some players are still using PSVR. PSVR was released on October 13, 2016 for $399 and has 50 titles.
PSVR is an absolutely classic VR headset in the history of VR, which is no longer a flagship level in today's configuration, but has left a deep impression on many VR players. Now many old PSVR players have been looking forward to the arrival of PSVR2, with the launch of the PSVR2 website, the wallet has long been unable to hold back.
PSVR2 known specific configurations:
Screen: 2000 x 2040, OLED, 90/120Hz
Field of view: 110
Cameras: 4 cameras for headset and controller tracking, infrared tracking cameras for eye tracking
PSVR2 controller configuration:
Provides finger touch detection, analog joysticks and buttons, haptic feedback, adaptive triggers
In addition, PSVR2 Sense technology combines eye tracking, headset feedback, 3D audio, and the PlayStation VR2 Sense controller to create an incredible sense of deep immersion. The PSVR2 is known to be used with the PS5, and it only takes a cable to connect to the PlayStation 5's front USB port to directly enter the virtual world.
In addition, it is reported that the PSVR2 is equipped with a Fresnel lens and two independent display screens, compared with the traditional lens, The Fresnel lens has a series of optical advantages, but also produces additional artifacts, such as "divine light" and edge glare, in order to deal with such problems, Sony proposed a related solution, which makes the PSVR2 may be the first VR headset to truly eliminate the "god rays".
For PSVR, Sina VR is more looking forward to the experience of headset feedback and eye tracking. According to Sony's official introduction, headphone feedback feels subtle responsive headphone vibrations at key moments during gameplay, generated by a single built-in motor, adding a smart tactile element to the sensory immersion experienced while playing. Detect your character's elevated pulse, the impact of an object close to your head, or the thrust of a vehicle as you move forward.
Headphone feedback can lead to a more immersive experience, after many VR headsets did not add more vibration feedback due to weight, cost, etc., resulting in an experience that is not very real. Now PSVR2 provides headphone feedback overtime controller feedback, which can better allow users to experience the real world in the virtual world.
In terms of eye tracking, interact in a new and realistic way, as the PSVR2 headset detects eye movements, enhancing emotional responses and enhancing expressions when meeting online players. Eye-tracking cameras follow the player's gaze when aiming or looking around, while advanced gaze rendering techniques improve the visual experience by adjusting resolution to precisely position and enhance what is of interest.
Eye tracking gaze rendering is currently a matter of more concern to manufacturers, the technology can allow users to feel that every gaze place is very well rendered when using VR headsets, in order to enhance the VR experience. However, the technology requires too much precision for eye tracking, and if PSVR2 can better implement the technology, the VR experience of PSVR2 will be greatly improved.
2. Meta Quest series imagination
Meta (Oculus) Quest 2 is one of the best VR headsets in the world, and has been loved by players around the world since its release, whether it is its performance in terms of performance or content, Quest 2 is definitely a ceiling-level presence.
Quest 2 was somewhat of a relief from the then-sluggish VR market, with third-party agencies even saying that shipments of the device had already reached 10 million units.
Meta Cambria known specific configurations:
Screen: Mini LED, single 2.48 inches
It has eye tracking, high-resolution color pass-through, face tracking, and body tracking
In fact, project Cambria itself leaked not much information, and Meta has a high level of confidentiality for the device. Kuo predicts that its shipments will be 1 million to 2 million this year, while the overall shipment volume of Meta's headsets will reach 12 million units in 2022.
For this device, Sina VR believes that its overall experience is where we are most looking forward to it, because it is a completely different product from quest 2, so it is an unknown product. As a working feature of the media itself, it is full of curiosity about an unknown product.
Project Cambria may be a high-end VR headset, or it may be a product that is only for the B-side. The product will be released sometime this year, and Meta has confirmed that it is working on the device.
Andrew Bosworth, head of Meta XR, recently commented on eye tracking and full body tracking, which he believes are two of the biggest technical hurdles for VR. Both technologies will be used in Project Cambria at the same time, so Meta may release the device after both technologies mature.
3. Pico Neo series imagination
As one of the largest VR manufacturers in China, the release of Neo 3 has brought greater popularity to Pico, coupled with being accepted as a byteDance door, its share in the domestic market has been surging.
The release of the Pico Neo 3 series of products lays the foundation for its domestic market hegemony, Neo 3 is a product that directly benchmarks quest 2, and does not lose to competitors in terms of performance and other aspects. In addition, after the release of Neo 3, it has been drawing excellent content for the app store. After the revenue of ByteDance, marketing, operations and other aspects have been generally improved.
The excellent performance of neo 3 makes us look forward to the arrival of Pico Neo4. The Neo series has always been the all-in-one series promoted by Pico, and the Neo 3 has achieved the ultimate in terms of cost performance, and the Neo 4 is likely to continue to follow the pace of neo 3. Because Qualcomm has not yet released the momentum of the XR3 chip, the Pico Neo 4 may not come anytime soon. Neo 4 will inherit the advantages of Neo 3, in terms of content, performance, you can absolutely trust Pico.
4. Our views
Although the flagship products of VR major manufacturers in 2022 have not yet been officially released, it is certain that the VR market in 2022 will be particularly fierce. Meta, Sony and other manufacturers will continue to compete for the market in 2022 and strive to gain a foothold in the market.
The current VR market is similar to the mobile phone market in previous years, and the early layout can obtain the market in the future. At that time, the mobile phone market was full of hundreds, but few survived in the end, and the current VR market is also facing this problem. Once a good opportunity is missed, it will be surpassed by other brands in the market, and facing the arrival of the "meta-universe", who can persist until the end is the real winner.
This year, whether it is the PSVR series or Meta, their products have never been released to get the attention of many VR players, this war is a war between all-in-one machines and PCVR, no matter who loses and who wins, it will bring a huge impact to the VR industry.
The arrival of Project Cambria may accelerate the development of Meta's "metaverse", when domestic manufacturers may follow the trend.