Xiaomi partners Oculus to make VR headsets – Oculus Go | Mi VR Standalone

Virtual Reality (VR) is getting more and more attention from the consumers nowadays. So it is natural that many technology giants want to have a slice of the VR market early before it gets too saturated and this includes Xiaomi but not without the partnership with Oculus.

Announced at CES 2018, Xiaomi will partner Oculus to make the next generation VR headsets. The dynamic duo is already working on two standalone headsets called Oculus Go and Xiaomi Mi VR Standalone, which is only available exclusively in China.

Xiaomi is known to manufacture good quality hardware that only cost a fraction of what the other tech companies are charging for the same product. Hence, consumers can expect to get their hands on a well-built VR headset at a lower price when launched.

According to the Oculus blog, “Oculus Go and Mi VR Standalone are both powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Mobile VR Platform” and support the Oculus Mobile SDK, allowing Oculus developers to bring their VR content to the Mi VR platform in China.

In Xiaomi’s press release, Tang Mu, VP of Mi Ecosystem and head of Mi Lab, said:

“We are excited to work with Oculus on these standalone devices that exceed expectations in terms of performance at a very attractive price. Xiaomi has always relentlessly pursued the best user experience and price-to-performance ratio. For the best experience, we consider every minute detail. Through our collaboration with Oculus, we have integrated world-class technologies and craftsmanship to produce a VR standalone that lets people immerse themselves in another world without being connected to smartphones or computers.”

At CES 2018, Xiaomi also gave the audience a sneak peek at the Mi VR Standalone. It has a “2K high-resolution fast-switch LCD screen, next-generation lenses, integrated spatial audio, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.” As the Mi VR Standalone and Oculus Go share similar features, core hardware and development platform, the Oculus Go will resemble very much like the Mi VR Standalone, with possible minor differences.

The signal has never been more evident. Xiaomi and Oculus are ready for the consumers VR war. High-end specifications and built quality aside, one main selling point of the two headsets, the cost, could be the tipping point for consumers to choose Oculus Go and Mi VR Standalone over the other competitors.