More players are getting into the VR headset game, and this one is kind of a big deal.
That’s because it is a major Chinese company that is making a VR headset and they’re putting $300 million behind it to establish a foothold in the Chinese virtual reality market.
While iQiyi released a more expensive headset a year ago, the Qiyu 2S is aimed squarely at the mass market with a suggested retail price of $294.
Coming in at 280 grams total weight, the Qiyu 2S is incredibly light.
But it hasn’t sacrificed power and performance: Boasting a 4K resolution and no bulky wires to obscure your movement and play.
Indeed, the weight and price of the device, coupled with its performance, is what is capturing the eye of most gamers.
Described as being almost lighter than air, the Qiyu 2 is going for the gold with a system that makes VR easy, comfortable, and portable.
And it’s goal might not be exclusively centered on video games, either.
iQiyi is one of China’s largest streaming companies and the Qiyu 2 could be a vehicle for delivering that content to consumers.
CNBC writes, “iQiyi has evolved from a video streaming platform to a major production house in China for variety shows, drama series and more. The company said it had more than 87 million subscribing members at the end of 2018. At its annual conference in Beijing this week, iQiyi emphasized its plans to incorporate more technology — virtual and augmented reality, and artificial intelligence — to improve the experience for its user.”
In fact, this custom delivery and experience could be a big part of iQiyi’s future as an entertainment streaming company.
That’s because, “iQiyi’s new headset includes front-row views at pop music concerts. Users can also use the device to watch movies and shows from iQiyi’s app in a virtual cinema, complete with a high-resolution projection screen and theater seats,” CNBC says.
As far as gaming services go, the new headset supports Steam and iQiyi has announced aggressive plans to expand into the VR gaming space in the near future.
Apparently there’s a pro version coming later this year as well for those players that need a little bit more performance out of their headset.
A lot of people will probably watch what happens with the iQiyi headset in China, as well as how far the company gets with their plans to deliver content through it.
Though there are a lot of discussions about the future of entertainment and VR, in the West the focus seems to be mainly on video game or consumer-grade applications.
No one is really looking at how it can change live entertainment, movies, or even sports in any big way.
We told you about Turner partnering with the NBA earlier this year, but that’s really just one small test project out there.
A giant like iQiyi getting involved might prove to the West that entertainment-focused VR applications outside of video games might be worth their time.
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