Virtual reality headsets are the new craze these days. Smartphone manufacturers are making VR headsets compatible with their devices which keeps the overall cost down and lets people enjoy a good virtual reality experience. Samsung Gear VR and LG’s VR for G3 are perfect examples. Who knows, somewhere down the line Apple might release a similar product for the iPhone, since it already holds a patent for an iPhone VR headset.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has awarded Apple a patent for an iPhone VR headset. Its pretty similar in function to the Gear VR which uses the Galaxy Note 4 as the display and computing component. Apple’s headset would make use of the iPhone instead.
The patent also describes a remote which can be used to control the virtual reality experience thus eliminating the need to use headset or phone-based inputs.
Here’s the interesting bit. Apple originally filed for this patent back in 2008 which means it was toying around with this idea long before Samsung Gear VR and the Google Cardboard emerged on the scene.
The question remains though will Apple really want to release a virtual reality headset for the iPhone. It hasn’t dropped any hints that such a product might be released in the near future, and given the fact that companies don’t always make what they patent, one really can’t say for sure if and when the iPhone virtual reality headset will see the light of day.
Filed in . Read more about Gear VR, iPhone and Virtual Reality (VR).