Of all the ways tech companies are gunning to drive virtual reality, Google may be working on something no one else has done yet: make the experience self-sufficient.
The search giant is developing a stand-alone headset, which would be the first VR goggle that isn't powered by a smartphone, laptop or gaming console, according to a report Thursday by The Wall Street Journal that cited unnamed sources.
The move would represent a novel approach as a scrum of tech companies, including Facebook, Samsung and HTC, jostle to bring the nascent technology to a mass audience. Facebook's $599 Oculus headset, available starting next month, requires a PC, while the offerings from HTC and Sony are also tied to a PC or game console. Samsung's Gear VR requires a Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
Google's device will reportedly have its own screen, outward-facing cameras and a high-powered processor based on chips from Movidius, a San Mateo, California-based startup that specializes in machine vision.
A Google spokeswoman declined to comment. Movidius acknowledged it has a "business relationship" with Google but wouldn't say anything else.
Once mostly the dream of video game makers, VR now has the tech industry taking a wider view of the experiences it can offer, from virtual trips to the Alps and walks through the world's most famous museums to visits to digital doctor's offices.
Google's attempt at something new shows how seriously it's taking virtual reality. Last month, the tech titan created its own VR division, putting vice president Clay Bavor at the helm. Bavor used to be in charge of Google apps as well, but the company cleared away all his other responsibilities to focus squarely on virtual reality.
It's a far cry from Google's first foray into VR two years ago with Cardboard, a no-frills, made-of-paper headset design that uses a smartphone as the screen. Cardboard, developed by Bavor and his team, isn't sold by Google -- it licenses the design to others who create the $20 to $25 headset. Google will also release an updated version of that product to be made of plastic, according to the Journal. The headset is also expected to include chips and sensors.
Glass, Tango and beyond
If the reports are true, it seems as though Google's approach could be similar to what it did with Google Glass, in the sense that this will be a fully formed piece of standalone hardware. Glass, experimental eyewear with a high-tech flourish, could connect with a phone but also worked on its own over Wi-Fi, avoiding a need to be tethered to any other device.
It's an unusual approach for VR at the moment, especially since it feels like both mobile and PC-based VR efforts are aiming for a level of industry consistency. Would a stand-alone unit run Android, Google's mobile software? Or would it be more of a head-mounted display that interfaces with phones, tablets and computers wirelessly?
There are reasons for Google to pursue this type of product. Cardboard needed to work with several types of smartphones, which meant screen sizes, resolutions and processors were inconsistent. Having all those things built into the headset itself would let VR content makers all step up to the same standard. That could help the whole experience look and feel a lot better.
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