Today at CES Sony has unveiled a new standalone MR headphone Equipped with “4K” OLED displays. The headset hasn't been named yet, but the company says it's aimed at creating 3D content for creators and will launch this year.
Sony's unnamed standalone MR headset is based on Qualcomm's XR2+ Gen 2 processor and is said to include small 1.3-inch “4K” OLED displays. It's not clear at the moment whether Sony means 16MP (4000 x 4000) resolution per eye, or something else, but considering the XR2+ Gen 2 can drive two displays at up to 18.5MP (4100 x 4100) each This may indeed be the case. We have reached out to the company to get clarity.
The Sony MR headset includes pass-through video, a foldable headset, and a very unique pair of controllers. Well, maybe “pair” is not the right word because they are both very different. One is a cursor-like controller controlled with the index finger while the other is a small ring-like device controlled with the thumb.
Sony is gearing the headset toward 3D creatives, pitching it as a great way to interact with and create 3D content like models, architecture, and design review. Sony is collaborating closely with Siemens to make the company's NX CAD software compatible with headphones.
Although the operating system for the headphones will undoubtedly be based on Android, it's not clear what kind of OS layer Sony will build on top or how flexible it will be. For example, the questions on our mind are – will this headset be compatible with OpenXR or is it designed to work only with proprietary applications?
The price of the Sony MR headphone has not been set, but the company says its release date will come this year.
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