LG, Valve To Work On SteamVR-Powered Headset

By Edwin Kee
PlayStation VR and PS4 Pro
Sony's PlayStation VR and PS4 Pro Forbes

LG does make some snazzy smartphones, and have taken bold steps in the past to introduce new concepts and ideas in the smartphone world such as the modular function that can be found on the LG G5. Well, the LG G6 has already been unveiled at MWC 2017 to the wonder and amazement of many, but the good news does not stop just there. We now have received word that the South Korean consumer electronics giant will be working alongside Valve to introduce a new VR headset that will be powered by SteamVR.

The new LG VR headset will utilize the SteamVR tracking and OpenVR platform in order to function, and those who are interested to get a handle on how it will look like can always drop by GDC (Game Developers Conference) 2017 that is happening right now in San Francisco. This is certainly a step in the right direction for LG as they attempt to establish a beachhead in the world of Virtual Reality. Where smartphone manufacturers are concerned, Samsung with their Samsung Gear VR, HTC with the HTC Vive, and Sony with the PlayStation VR are kings of the hill at the moment. To see LG work alongside Valve to reveal a SteamVR-powered headset is encouraging to say the least. .

It also marks a continual maturity by LG to explore new areas of the market, and being an improvement of its past. The previous edition of MWC saw LG announce the 360 VR headset to accompany its LG G5 flagship of 2016. That particular headset was not readily compatible with other handsets, playing nice only with the LG G5, and it seems that LG has decided to take a more accessible route for VR technology to be made available to the masses.

How will this partnership with Valve work out in the future? HTC might be looking over their shoulders, especially when HTC also worked alongside in order to introduce the HTC Vive. However, we have very little else known about the LG VR headset, other than the fact that the presence of OpenVR in this equation will allow third-party hardware makers to play an important role in developing VR headsets that will make use of Valve's system.

Apart from that, Valve also did announce that they will begin to sell its SteamVR Tracking base stations directly via its online store. This is to help developers have an easier time to implement SteamVR Tracking in their products and devices apart from sticking to just HTC hardware.

Isn’t it a rather interesting observation of the times: when we were younger, our parents told us not to sit too close to the TV as that might just spoil our eyes? Guess what? Wearing a VR headset would get you as close as possible to the action, and until technology arrives when you are able to see everything on a contact lens-like devices, this is as close as it gets. Good luck to LG and Valve on their SteamVR-powered VR headset. We cannot wait for its appearance at GDC 2017 that is currently happening at the Moscone Center in San Francisco until March 3rd.

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