Sony demos updated Project Morpheus VR headset, on track for 2016 release
Sony demos updated Project Morpheus VR headset, on track for 2016 release
Not since the Nintendo Virtual Boy collected dust on store shelves decades ago has virtual reality been such a big deal. Suddenly every technology company is making its own VR headset, and Sony has just unveiled an updated version of its take on the head-mounted display fad. Project Morpheus was first revealed last year, but the version just shown off at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco has a number of important improvements. And according to Sony president Shu Yoshida, it’s nearly final hardware.
There are a number of considerations that come into play when designing a VR headset that wouldn’t be an issue with other devices. You can’t just slap any old screen on a headset when it’s going to be a few inches away from your eyes. You need a very high-quality display and the right technology to make scenes realistic and avoid motion sickness. Samsung is trying to solve this by having users plug their Galaxy Note phablets into the Gear VR. The Note does have a very nice Super AMOLED screen, but that really limits the audience. Google is doing the same thing with Cardboard/ViewMaster, though in a more casual sort of way.
Accordingly, Sony’s big updates to Project Morpheus revolve around the display tech. The size of the screen is up to 5.7-inches from 5.0-inches. That’s the difference between a Nexus 5 (Cardboard) and a Note 4 (Gear VR), but of course Sony’s solution is a standalone unit that doesn’t require a phone. The larger screen offers a much improved 100-degree field of view. The nine LED trackers in the headset can also follow head movement in a full 360 degree arc.
Sony is using an OLED panel with a resolution of 1080p, which is slightly lower than you’d get with some of the phone-based solutions. However, Sony’s OLED has a full RGB subpixel array. The Oculus Rift Dev Kit 2 uses a 1080p screen (from a Note 3), but it’s a PenTile array. That’s fine at arm’s reach, but you might notice some fuzziness when it’s strapped to your face (sometimes called a “screen door” effect). The Gear VR is 1440p with a Note 4, but once again is PenTile.
Beyond the resolution, Sony’s Project Morpheus OLED sports improved latency and a 120Hz refresh rate. These are both important metrics for a display that will fill your entire vision. A high refresh rate is essential to make environments feel realistic, and the higher the latency, the faster you’re going to get sick. It might be unavoidable for some people, but at least Sony is aware of the potential issues. Even the newly announced HTC Re Viveis only 90Hz.
Project Morpheus is designed to interact with Sony’s PlayStation 4, which has sold 20 million units so far. Games designed for Morpheus are expected to be demoed at E3 in a few months, but you’ll have to wait until next year to get your hands on one. Sony expects to start selling a final version of Project Morpheus in the first half of 2016, but the price is not yet available. I imagine it will be a lot.
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