Sony to license the PSVR headset design to Lenovo in new partnership

[Toumari]

Via DualShockers:https://www.dualshockers.com/playstation-vr-sony-lenovo/

In a deal that will last for the next two years, Sony has agreed to license the design of the PlayStation VR to Lenovo. With this design, Lenovo will use it to create their own Lenovo Mirage solo VR headset.

Lenovo VP Yao Li said that with this agreement, it "will allow us to work together to greatly enhance the design sophistication and appeal of the rapidly expanding VR field, and is an outstanding example of how great consumer brands in the VR industry can work together to benefit the consumer VR market."

The design of the PS VR has been lauded for its comfortability compared to other VR headsets on the market, which is something that Lenovo surely knew in advance when trying to come to this deal with Sony.

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Interestingly the license is for 2 years. Maybe PSVR2 will hit around the time those 2 years are up?

 

[Wandu]

PSVR2 incoming in time for PS5!

 

[janusff]

Interestingly the license is for 2 years. Maybe PSVR2 will hit around the time those 2 years are up?

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Seems like a safe bet. A year or so after the PS5 launch.

 

[Deleted member 2620]

I'm assuming this is Lenovo licensing the form and ergonomics of the PSVR headset for their next standalone Daydream device.

 

[kennyamr]

Yeah, my guess is that they are already working on a new version of PSVR.
This is probably a method for Sony to finance some of the development of said new headset without incurring in too much extra expenditure.
I'll say that we will see the PSVR2 around 2 years after the PS5 is released.

 

[Deleted member 25108]

This seems like a good idea just for expanding mindshare.

 

[Deleted member 1378]

it's a standalone android based headset like oculus go, which comes with a little VR camera

this has nothing to do with PSVR2, and everything to do with only licensing the design short term for financial reasons (and the possibility of them using a different design for a possible mirage 2)

 

[kittens]

I'm pretty excited to see where this goes.

Edit : well there it is

 

[funky]

Havent other companies basically knocked the PSVR design off already?

I remember one or two of those cheap Official Windows VR headets basically being PS VR clones.

 

[Kei-]

Nice, I really like the design of the PSVR headset. I think it's the slickest, most futuristic looking one. Reminds me of Ghost In The Shell. Still wish it worked with PC though, I'd definitely grab one, don't wanna have to buy a PC solution as well.

 

[Deleted member 15538]

PSVR is comfy.

 

[IDreamOfHime]

In VR no one is an island.

 

[Luckett_X]

Wouldn't be surprised if this was a friendly "you can license this officially from us or we can... see what the courts have to say" deal from Sony considering this was from 2017:

 

[cakely]

Good choice. PSVR has a solid, ergnomic design. The "crown" headset and sliding faceplate both work quite well.

 

[gofreak]

Havent other companies basically knocked the PSVR design off already?

I remember one or two of those cheap Official Windows VR headets basically being PS VR clones.

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At the risk of litigation, yeah. Like another post above, I think this was probably a legal reconciliation. It is interesting that Sony is willing to license things though, rather than just shut down. Maybe another sign of 'openness' they've talked about, especially in areas where it's probably in everyone's interests to be cooperative.

 

[Deleted member 8408]

Wouldn't be surprised if this was a friendly "you can license this officially from us or we can... see what the courts have to say" deal from Sony considering this was from 2017:

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This is the WMR headset I have, it's so comfortable.

Wouldn't surprise me if there was some truth in what you said, reading the title did have me scratching my head for a while.

 

[SFenton]

Wouldn't be surprised if this was a friendly "you can license this officially from us or we can... see what the courts have to say" deal from Sony considering this was from 2017:

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In fairness, basically every Windows Mixed Reality headset looks like that. I got the HP one for free with my Surface Book 2. The controllers are identical (I think Microsoft just licenses their design, too?) and the headset isn't too far off.

 

[Deleted member 8408]

In fairness, basically every Windows Mixed Reality headset looks like that. I got the HP one for free with my Surface Book 2. The controllers are identical (I think Microsoft just licenses their design, too?) and the headset isn't too far off.

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The controllers are universal. They are designed by Microsoft and the WMR headset partners are free to put their own branding on them. They are also all cross-compatible, so for example the dell ones will work with a Samsung headset.

 

[Blanquito]

ah, just the design? Interesting.

 

[PurelyChris]

it's a standalone android based headset like oculus go, which comes with a little VR camera

this has nothing to do with PSVR2, and everything to do with only licensing the design short term for financial reasons (and the possibility of them using a different design for a possible mirage 2)

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Aaaaand there we go. It's nothing remotely relevant to PSVR users. Time to move on.

 

[-Le Monde-]

Hoping for a Black Friday deal on psvr. I need to play Astro Bot, and RE7 in vr.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

That would be a huge improvement. The mirage solo is literally the cheapest, most uncomfortable VR headset I've ever worn. And that includes like the DK1.

 

[A Grizzly Bear]

Aaaaand there we go. It's nothing remotely relevant to PSVR users. Time to move on.

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That was apparent from the announcement. This is just another company acknowledging Sony's design as being one of the best when it comes to comfort.

 

[NewDust]

That would be a huge improvement. The mirage solo is literally the cheapest, most uncomfortable VR headset I've ever worn. And that includes like the DK1.

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Nothing changes on the Mirage, It's literally a license so Lenovo can keep using the current design.

Also, I see some people linking the 2 Year deal to an inevitable PSVR2 in 2020, but to me it seems more likely that Lenovo is only intending sell it for 2 years and see from there if they continue to be in the VR space

 

[Deleted member 12790]

Nothing changes on the Mirage, It's literally a license so Lenovo can keep using the current design.

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...the current lenovo mirage solo varies greatly in design compared to my PSVR. They aren't at all similar, other than using a halo ring. The Lenovo Mirage Solo doesn't even hinge open.

 

[no1]

Soo this isn't gonna be anything I guess.

 

[cakefoo]

...the current lenovo mirage solo varies greatly in design compared to my PSVR. They aren't at all similar, other than using a halo ring. The Lenovo Mirage Solo doesn't even hinge open.

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The bill, the back strap with knob, the rigid halo, that's 3 similarities to currently 1 dissimilarity. I'd say the Mirage looks close enough, without trying it on myself, to believe that this isn't Lenovo paying to replicate it further, but to pay for the replication that already exists.

I'd love to be wrong and Sony's just opening up their headset design for the good of the industry, but it sounds more like they're protecting their property rather than offering it up for grabs.

 

[Deleted member 12790]

The bill, the back strap with knob, the rigid halo, that's 3 similarities to currently 1 dissimilarity. I'd say the Mirage looks close enough, without trying it on myself, to believe that this isn't Lenovo paying to replicate it further, but to pay for the replication that already exists.

I'd love to be wrong and Sony's just opening up their headset design for the good of the industry, but it sounds more like they're protecting their property rather than offering it up for grabs.

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It's amazing how people who have never even held this headset in their hands are trying to tell me, sitting here with both the PSVR and Mirage in front of me right now, how they're totally the same thing when they absolutely are not, citing superficial similarities that other headsets besides Lenovos share with sony. Buncha armchair analysts ITT.

 

[cakefoo]

It's amazing how people who have never even held this headset in their hands are trying to tell me, sitting here with both the PSVR and Mirage in front of me right now, how they're totally the same thing when they absolutely are not, citing superficial similarities that other headsets besides Lenovos share with sony. Buncha armchair analysts ITT.

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I use "replication" loosely. Sony, I could see being that anally protective of their design that they'd put Lenovo in a position in court to have to argue that the nuanced differences of their design outweigh the superficial similarities to PSVR.