We were expecting a release date for Google and Lenovo’s first standalone VR headset, the Mirage Solo, to be announced at GDC this week, but it turns out the latter already revealed the date in low-key fashion.
After a retailer listed the all-in-one headset for launch on May 5th, Lenovo confirmed to RoadtoVR that the headset will be shipping around that date in the US for $400. When asked if this date applied to the UK too, Lenovo told UploadVR it was planning to launch the headset in the country in June.
The Mirage Solo is a first for both Google and Lenovo, both of which have already launched several other VR headsets. It marks both company’s first standalone device, built on a reference design Google created in partnership with Qualcomm and boasting six degrees of freedom (6DOF) inside-out positional tracking. This allows users to lean into the virtual worlds they see inside the headset, though it still utilizes the 3DOF controller seen with the Daydream View.
It’s also the first non-smartphone VR headset to run Google’s Daydream VR platform. That means you’ll have access to a wide range of existing content as well as new experiences launching around the kit like the new Blade Runner VR game. The device also boasts a 2560 x 1440 LCD display panel, 4000 nAh battery and weighs in at 645g.
The Solo will face competition from the likes of the Oculus Go headset, which also launches soon and more standalone devices set to launch over the coming months and years. We’ll be interested to see if Google is able to get a foothold in this promising emerging sector of VR in the weeks to come.
