Huawei presents its first VR viewer for smartphones

With a surprise announcement, which took place on the occasion of the event organized for the launch in the Chinese market of the new top range and P9 P9 Plus, Huawei unveiled Huawei VR, his first viewer for Virtual Reality. It is a product similar to Gear VR Samsung and the LG 360 VR, or designed to work in conjunction with your smartphone; It is therefore not a standalone viewer, or a product designed for use with PC / Console, as HTC Vive, Oculus Rift VR and Playstation. There are not yet known any projects aimed at expanding the distribution of the viewer beyond the borders of the Chinese market.

Presentation surprise, given the fact that the accessory, introduced to provide an added value to buyers of Huawei and P9 P9 Plus, was absent in occasion of the London launch of the new smartphone top range of the Chinese giant. Huawei is the third smartphone manufacturer that chooses to ride the wave of emerging market Virtual Reality opting for a solution designed to live in symbiosis the terminal. After Samsung, LG has also provided the viewer 360 VR connected to the new G5 LG at the Mobile World Congress 2016.

The design is very reminiscent of that of the Gear VR Samsung, the same applies to the principle of operation which provides for the housing of the smartphone within the viewer and not the external connection, as is the case of LG 360 VR. The viewer is therefore not equipped with its own screen and uses the smartphone. From this point of view, however, the Korean company can exploit the benefit from QHD resolution of the Samsung compatible smartphone, while Huawei VR, will have to settle for one of Huawei FullHD screens P9, P9 Plus and Huawei Mate 8. The declared latency is equal to 20ms, while the viewing angle is 95 degrees.

Huawei has also argued that it is the first VR viewer can play a sound stage at 360 degrees, but, for the avoidance of doubt, it is not equipped with an integrated sound system and needs the external headphone port. The sound reproduction at 360 degrees, too, can only be exploited with appropriate VR content. The display is equipped with a touchpad on the right side, a back button located above it and the classical dial to the focus adjustment of the lens at the top.

Interesting content offerings that Huawei expects to sell freely available at launch: it is based on approximately 4000 films - not just titles optimized for playback with viewers VR - over 40 games, 350 panoramic images and 150 panoramic tours.

The information on price and availability of Huawei VR have not yet been communicated. Compatibility with Huawei P9 P9 Plus Huawei and Huawei Mate 8 is not in question and is likely limited to smartphones made by the Chinese producer, exactly as in the case of competitive offerings from Samsung and LG. For the moment, Huawei has merely stated that the viewer will be available in the course of 2016.

The Huawei's entrance into the VR market with a product designed for use with smartphones is not surprising, especially in light of recent forecasts on the evolution of the segment. According to Strategy Analytics, in the course of 2016 more and more companies will present VR viewers at low cost for use with smartphones. Products that will leave traces marginal in terms of total turnover - generated largely from premium viewers like HTC Lives and Oculus Rift - but important to spread in the mainstream market the new product type and lay the foundations for future and later upgrade to viewers higher end.