When Google first announced its mobile virtual reality (VR) headset Daydream View it mentioned a reference design style approach, much like Cardboard, where other manufacturers could use the platform to build their own variations. One company to utilise the design is Chinese technology giant Huawei, and it seems as though the company isn’t far off a final on consumer version.
In documents recently released by the the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the organisation doesn’t detail the headset itself, rather the 3DoF motion controller dubbed ‘virtual reality handle’. Huawei’s controller isn’t exactly the same as the Daydream original, with a trigger button – similar to the Samsung Gear VR controller – plus an additional couple of face buttons. These will allow users to answer or reject calls while in VR, plus they’ll be able to take screenshots.
Other than that, the Huawei device features the same clean cut aesthetic that the Daydream version has, with a touchpad for the main navigation and input options.
With the FCC releasing these documents it’s more than likely Huawei will be making some sort of announcement in the near future – probably not this year though. With CES 2018 only a month away, and Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February/March, Huawei will more than likely choose one of these events. It did reveal an early look at its Daydream headset design during CES 2017, which Road to VR managed to demo. Unlike Daydream View which can be used with multiple ‘Daydream-Ready’ smartphones, currently Huawei’s version seems restricted to the Mate Pro 9, significantly minimising the potential user base.
This isn’t Huawei’s only VR headset either. In 2016 prior to Daydream, the company announced Huawei VR, a device that was only released in China specifically for the P9 and P9 Plus smartphones.
The expected influx of Daydream compatible headsets hasn’t yet happened, with Google recently updating its version with a slight redesign. HTC was originally working with Google on a standalone version using the Daydream platform, yet that seemed to come to an abrupt halt with the official unveiling of Vive Focus and Vive Wave.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Huawei, reporting back with the latest updates.