The future of Sony’s PSVR headset just got even more promising. A recently granted patent suggests a wireless version of the device is in the works.
The patent sprung up online over the weekend. It details a headset that seems to wirelessly communicate with a piece of hardware external from the PS4 itself. In the patent’s drawings it essentially looks like the original PSVR wirelessly linked to the breakout box. The description says that the console powering the headset would feature a “program capable of switching a frequency band used for communication earlier than before according to a change in an environment in which a communication device or a communication partner is placed.”
It’s not clear if this is simply a new version of PSVR or a full PSVR 2. The patent shows the kit running on a PS4 and using a PlayStation Camera, but these could all be placeholder images for what’s next.
Wireless VR headsets that are still powered by PCs or consoles are an interesting prospect. HTC already offers an official wireless VR adapter for its HTC Vive, for example. However, these products require fast connectivity. It’s also essential that they don’t add on any perceivable latency to the VR experience. Still, if Sony is working on an official solution for its next VR headset it could mean a big jump in immersion between PSVR 1 and 2.
So far we’re not sure when to expect a PSVR 2 reveal. The assumption is that such a device would run on Sony’s next console, a hypothetical PS5. There have been plenty of other patents from the company that point to new controllers and tracking systems too.
