Carl Zeiss unveils VR One headset, similar to Samsung's Gear VR but half the price

[Shawn Knight]

We’re still waiting for a consumer version of the Oculus Rift, the device that reignited everyone’s interest in virtual reality. The first prototype surfaced more than two years ago and in the interim, we’ve seen a handful of other companies beat Facebook-owned Oculus VR to the punch.

The latest virtual reality headset comes from Carl Zeiss, a company that knows a thing or two about optics. Their solution, the Carl Zeiss VR One, is similar to Samsung’s Gear VR headset in that it works in conjunction with a smartphone but unlike Sammy’s solution, it isn’t limited to a particular brand of phone.

Instead, the VR One will work with Android and iOS phones featuring a minimum screen size of 4.7-inches up to 5.2-inches (Galaxy Note 4, iPhone 6 Plus and all Windows Phone devices need not apply). Your phone fits into a custom tray called a drawer which then slides into the front of the headset. At present, the VR One only supports the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 6 although I suspect they’ll offer more options in due time.

The Carl Zeiss VR One is available for pre-order as of writing priced at just $99.90 while additional drawers sell for $9.90 each. At this price, the device is twice as cheap as the Gear VR which only works with the Galaxy Note 4, a handset that’ll set you back an additional $800+.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that, as Wired points out, the Zeiss team doesn’t really have any idea what to do with it. They’ve created two demo apps but aside from that, it looks like they’ll be relying on developers to build apps for the device.

It’ll no doubt be a tough sell without a ton of support but at least they seem to have the price and compatibility issues figured out.

The first units are expected to ship in time for the holidays.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/58403-carl-zeiss-unveils-vr-one-headset-similar-samsung.html

 

[RustyTech]

So basically all this time was spent on developing...a smartphone holder?
What a let-down. I think a few sticks and ducktape would do the trick for WAY less than $100.

 

[VitalyT]

Zeiss team doesn’t really have any idea what to do with it

Is that not simply the spirit of modern innovation? I think it has been, ever since the atomic bomb

 

[Satish Mallya]

So basically all this time was spent on developing...a smartphone holder?
What a let-down. I think a few sticks and ducktape would do the trick for WAY less than $100.

You mean, like Google Cardboard?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

It's still early days for this VR stuff and personally I won't take much of an interest in it until it's gone through a few generation cycles.

 

[wiyosaya]

If I were able to use this as a VR headset for my PC especially at this price, I would run right out and buy one today. But as a VR interface to a smart phone? No thanks. It is no wonder why Zeiss has no idea what to do with it. Frankly, given Zeiss' reputation as a maker of very high quality optics, I am highly disappointed that they would come out with something that I consider an overpriced paperweight.

 

[Littleczr]

All these VR headsets will not work. Unless you make it cool, like instead of having that ugly thing in your head you get it to the size of cool sun glasses.

 

[Guest]

Remote desktop app?

 

[Puiu]

Unlike the Samsung VR, on this one John Carmak didn't work on the software. Do they even know why Samsung's solution currently works with only 1 phone?

 

[tonylukac]

Oh, those are the kind of apps they want me to write as an android programmer.

 

[IAMTHESTIG]

All these VR headsets will not work. Unless you make it cool, like instead of having that ugly thing in your head you get it to the size of cool sun glasses.

Says you.... besides I think that is nearly impossible, at least right now. You have to have optical lenses to focus your eyes on the display. The only other option that I'm aware of is projecting an image onto a piece of glass, but right now the tech just isn't there to compete with the quality of a LCD/OLED display.

There are many hardcore gamers out there though, and many of them don't really care so much what this thing looks like, they just want to be in the virtual world and believe it. I, among many will most likely be buying the Oculus once it is production.

 

[Littleczr]

Says you.... besides I think that is nearly impossible, at least right now. You have to have optical lenses to focus your eyes on the display. The only other option that I'm aware of is projecting an image onto a piece of glass, but right now the tech just isn't there to compete with the quality of a LCD/OLED display.

There are many hardcore gamers out there though, and many of them don't really care so much what this thing looks like, they just want to be in the virtual world and believe it. I, among many will most likely be buying the Oculus once it is production.

Niche market for gamers maybe. I say MAYBE again. But big companies are interested in the casual user. Game console buyers are casual users. They don't want this.