According to a Bloomberg report, Sony is looking to release the PlayStation VR 2 during the holiday period in 2022. The article focuses on why Japan Display Inc., Apple Inc.’s ex-key supplier, is moving into the VR market for its liquid crystal displays.
PlayStation VR 2 releasing in 2022
Bloomberg claims that “[Sony Group Corp, are planning on partnering up with Samsung Display Co. OLED panels for its next-generation PlayStation VR goggles]”. Sony’s last headset was released five years ago and sold more than 5 million units (up to 2020). According to anonymous sources, Sony is aiming to release its newest version of the VR headset by the 2022 holiday period.
However, a Sony spokesperson and a Samsung Display representative declined to comment on the subject.
The original PlayStation VR headset already uses OLED technology in each eye and delivers a 960×1080 resolution image; PlayStation announced earlier this year that the successor would over-take its predecessor’s resolution after announcing their plans for a next-generation VR system for the PS5. Hideaki Nishino, the Senior Vice President of Platform Planning and management, shared that the next-gen VR system will “[enable the ultimate entertainment experience with dramatic leaps in performance and interactivity]”, meaning that “players will feel an even greater sense of presence and become even more immersed in their game worlds once they put on the new headset”.
So why are LCD specialists moving to VR?
LCD manufacturers are moving to greener pastures with the smaller competition due to smartphone producers favouring OLED displays for their products.
Initially released nearly five years ago, the first wave of VR headsets operate on OLED screens (Organic Light-Emitting Diodes) known for their quick responses in gaming on smartphones. Using OLED screens, however, leads to increased manufacturing costs, meaning that consumers are often out of pocket once they invest in their headset.
Make room for LCD.
Many companies have moved their latest VR products away from OLED to LDC - few speculate that the reasoning behind the move is that LCD panels can achieve higher resolutions than OLED while also driving down manufacturing costs.