For the sake of VR: Oculus $200 standalone VR headset could be in the making

VR may not have taken off in a way many in the tech industry wanted or expected it to be. But that isn't stopping them from trying to sell the technology that is touted to be the next big thing in the tech world. One of them is social networking giant Facebook that is spending billions of dollars in the hope of kickstarting VR popularity.

Facebook is reportedly working on a new standalone wireless Oculus Rift VR headset that will work without a PC or smartphone, and will only cost around $200- with the launch slated for next year. Well, targeting the cost factor is definitely bang-on to start with.

According to the Bloomberg report, Facebook (which owns Oculus) wants to produce a VR headset in the mid-range category, somewhere between the cheap efforts that hook up to smartphones like Samsung Gear VR, and the expensive headsets that require a powerful PC to run them like Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.

The report says that the headset will have Oculus branding around the world, except in China, where it’ll carry the name Xiaomi and run some Xiaomi software as part of a partnership that extends to manufacturing plans for the device.

The device is code-named 'Pacific' and will be powered by its own Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (of the type typically used in mobile phones), and it will put a firm emphasis on portability to enable users to pack it inside their bags and use it without any extra attachments. While the design and features for Facebook’s new VR headset may not have finalized, people familiar with the matter said that it would be more powerful that the Gear VR, but won’t have any advanced tracking technology that’s on the current Rift VR headset.

So, looks like, it's going to be some kind of balanced product in terms of price and technology. Well, no matter what technology we talk about, costs surely determine how it resonates with the general public. By any chance, if you wish to buy Oculus Rift headsets, they are on sale presently, available for just $399. Or else, wait for some more time for the new $200 version.