Your next VR headset won't require you to be tethered to a computer or put a smartphone on your face.
Facebook, Oculus' parent company, is preparing to launch a new, $200, standalone VR device later this year, according to a report from Bloomberg.
The company's current headset, the $400 Oculus Rift, is geared towards gaming and requires a wired connection a powerful PC (often $1,000 or more on top of the existing headset). One new headset, code-named "Pacific" will reportedly run on a Snapdragon mobile processor and won't include positional tracking.
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Oculus faces big competition from Samsung's Gear VR and Google's Daydream platform, both of which are powered by smartphones. Both Samsung and Google are also working on standalone headsets that will free users from wires.
“We don't have a product to unveil at this time, however we can confirm that we're making several significant technology investments in the standalone VR category," a Oculus spokesperson said. "This is in addition to our commitment to high-end VR products like Oculus Rift and mobile phone products like Gear VR.”
Facebook previously said it was working on a wireless Rift with desktop-level power tentatively called "Santa Cruz," but that's not set to be anywhere near as affordable as "Pacific."
Wireless VR may be what propels the technology to the mainstream, and being affordable can't hurt, either. In the meantime, companies like DisplayLink are working on wireless solutions for existing, computer based virtual reality like the Rift and the HTC Vive.
