Qualcomm’s standalone wireless VR headset could connect to PCs: Report

Qualcomm is best known for its processors, but that doesn’t mean that it is the only sphere the company has delved in. The company keeps on dabbling with other technologies and often manages to make a mark. The latest report that has surfaced online talks about Qualcomm‘s new VR headset, which will work as a standalone headset for smartphones and users will also be able to connect it with PCs wirelessly.

According to a report in CNET, the headset will be unveiled at the ongoing Game Developers Conference in San Francisco and will could hit the shelves in Asia as early as this year itself.

While most mobile VR headsets cannot be plugged in to their PC in order to play additional VR games, the American chipmaker has a vision to make it possible in its new reference design that is dubbed as “Boundless XR.” We should add that the new reference design that has been laid out by the company suggests that the device will be able to work as a standalone headset that will have six degrees of freedom and will also be able to link to PCS through a 60GHz connection. The headset by Qualcomm will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chipsets.

The latency of the Qualcomm’s headset is key at a low 16ms, according to the company. The headset is designed by the company to process VR technology while being connected to a PC. So, at least theoretically, it could help in freeing up some processing power in the users’ computer. But then, it has not been specified how much of processing power will be cleared.

Qualcomm also told the technology website that in order to be connected to the headset, PCs and consoles will have to support 802.11ad Wi-Fi and run the company’s software. The games would also be able to support the new headset without any changes, according to Qualcomm.

While Qualcomm has made a number of VR reference designs, very few companies have taken up on these including HTC, Facebook, and Lenovo. Most OEMs just stick to manufacturing smartphones, tablets and other such devices. Qualcomm has also revealed that its first headset with the new design will be Pico Neo2 VR headset that will be launched by Chinese electronics firms Pico VR.

The company has also said that HTC Vive is another partner that will work to “support the new specification through hardware and content.” However, we should point out that when we speak about reference designs, it is always a possibility that they ultimately don’t hit the shelves.