Qualcomm partners with Google for Snapdragon 835 VR HMD

Google has just announced its new Daydream standalone VR headset, something that it collaborated with Qualcomm on, using their impressive Snapdragon 835 VR platform.

This is a big move, as we have a fully tethered VR experience for the highest-end gaming PCs right now, and while the VR experience with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are awesome, they're restrictive. Doing away with cables with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 processor means that we can have high-res, smooth VR experiences - anywhere.

Sitting on a plane? No worries.

On the train to work? Yeah, sure.

On a 14-hour flight? Perfect.

Sitting on the toilet? Well, I guess.

This is the type of world we live in, and mobile VR powered by Snapdragon 835 is a huge win for Qualcomm. I've tried out a few of Qualcomm's standalone VR headsets over the last year, and they're getting better and better as the improvements continue piling into the Snapdragon family. Google has their Project Tango tracking technology built into the headset, with the reference design Daydream VR headset including custom specifications for tracking cameras and other sensors, that will fully utilize Tango.

I can see tetherless VR becoming a real thing, especially when it's driven by Qualcomm technologies like 4G, future 5G technology, Wi-Fi, and more. VR on desktop could take a big hit in the future, as standalone VR headsets will branch out with new features and accessories, and then developers will dive onto them like they did with when 'apps' became a thing with smartphones. Imagine the Angry Birds of VR, or Candy Crush of VR, for example.

Qualcomm Senior VP of Product Management, Keith Kressin, says: "We are thrilled to once again work with Google and offer a powerful premium Snapdragon experience for devices on the Daydream platform. Our companies share the same vision: to make it possible for everyone to enjoy rich and immersive VR experiences on a smartphone device or a dedicated VR head-mounted display while being fully mobile, rather than being restricted by cables or limited to predefined rooms setup for outside-in tracking".

VP of Virtual Reality for Google, Clay Bavor, explains: "The Daydream standalone headset reference design created in close partnership with Qualcomm will enable manufacturers to build a whole new category of VR devices. These headsets have everything needed for VR, built right into the headset itself and are as easy to use as picking them up. They'll feature WorldSense for positional tracking right out of the box without any external equipment. We're thrilled that headsets will begin to hit shelves later this year".