Updates to the beta version of Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR, the official integration which allows Windows VR headsets to be used with SteamVR, hint at “upcoming hardware releases.”

Update (September 2nd, 2020): A Microsoft developer says the reference to “upcoming hardware releases” is in fact just referring the Reverb G2 and its controllers.

On Reddit they said, “I knew I should’ve put more thought into how I phrased this. Specifically we’re working on fixes & improvements for the upcoming HP Reverb G2 headset and the new motion controllers (hence the plural devices). Sorry to break the news, but I’ve got nothing new to announce!”

The original article, which speculates that, in addition to the Reverb G2, Samsung may still be working on Windows VR hardware, continues below.

Recent beta updates to the ‘Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR’ integration on August 24th and September 1st include “additional fixes & improvements for upcoming hardware releases.”

There hasn’t been a new WMR headset released since the HP Reverb headset back in 2019. And while the “upcoming hardware releases” likely refers to the impending launch of the new Reverb G2 (due out this Fall) it’s interesting that the headset is not simply named outright, considering that another line in the patch notes clearly names the “HP Motion Controllers,” the new controllers which will ship with the G2.

SEE ALSO
Exclusive Hands-on: HP's Reverb G2 is the King of Clarity

There’s at least a chance that the G2 is not the only headset among the “upcoming hardware releases” for WMR. Samsung hasn’t done much in the VR space since their Odyssey+ headset launched back in 2018, but earlier this year a handful of unseen Samsung headset designs were spotted in patents, lending some evidence to the idea that the company is still actively developing VR hardware.

Image courtesy 91Mobiles
SEE ALSO
Microsoft Says it Hasn't Given up on the VR Side of Windows Mixed Reality

Especially considering the manufacturing impact that the Coronavirus pandemic has had, it’s hard to guess how upcoming product timelines may or may not have shifted. For now, only time will tell if HP will continue to be the lone champion of WMR or if others will show renewed interest.

Thanks to our tipster who sent this info our way

Newsletter graphic

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. More information.


Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • gothicvillas

    It will be interesting if Samsung spoils a party for HP and releases high def Odyssey

    • Bob

      I agree.

      Right now the HP Reverb G2 is the only “next generation” product open to the masses using Windows MR and it’s also the first.

      There definitely will be more to come and I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Samsung
      came with a product that’s even better than the G2. Imagine the equivalent of G2 but with OLED, that right there would be enough :)

      • Ona Mynuos

        Maybe Samsung had something in the works but scrapped it after G2 specs&features were revealed and they need to build something else from the ground up. The clarity and comfort of G2 seem to have been sold well to the audience, so if they went for something like higher fov but bad lenses and pixel density, it wouldn’t sit well in the competition.

        • TechPassion

          That Samsung design looks way better than generic Rift like headset. Plus, Samsung might have high-resolution OLED.
          I wouldn’t be surprised if Samsung released their headset till December. It is worth to wait till people complain about G2 problems and HP fixes them in the updated versions or when Samsung shows their move. Why would Samsung scrap their super VR headset. Makes no sense. Needs to be OLED, not LCD.

      • Andrew Jakobs

        Well, they have a patent on a curved screen for a headset, maybe that’s something they’ve been working on with high FOV and clear lenses (I don’t get it why they are still using fresnellenses when the latest clearlenses mods for the HTC Vive Pro etc are excellent).

    • kontis

      They probably can’t. As far as we know (publicly) Samsung doesn’t have mass produced panels of this size with amount of subpixels that can rival G2’s RGB LCD. They did show a sample 2k screen, never shipped, but even that has only 2 subpixels per pixel so 30% less sharp.

      Just think about it. Oleds are always slightly behind LCD tech in DPI.

      • cirby

        It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if Samsung had some newer-higher-density tech floating around its labs somewhere. Don’t forget those old rumors about 2000 ppi displays for VR from a couple of years back.

        Samsung is also looking to regain some small-panel market share, since they’ve lost out a lot in the phone market.

        • TechPassion

          Yes I remember these high resolution VR panels for PS5 and PC some 2 years ago.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      It’s been very quiet on the Samsung side of VR, it’s been a long time since the release of the O+, it was june 2019 when they said they would release new information on new VR hardware in a couple of months, it’s now more than a year later and we still haven’t heard anything.. Maybe they just quit the VR business.

  • TimmyP

    One of the great things about the O+… given its near top level FoVs and stunning OLED (In VR OLED is everything you see, consider that) you can still look at these other non OLED sets and not even be that excited. What a great headset.

    • GunnyNinja

      Was incredibly uncomfortable though.

      • Rudl Za Vedno

        It all came down to head shape I suppose. For my O+ was quite comfortable and became very comfortable once used with VR cover. Side light leakage and loss of tracking was the problem for me.

        • It always comes down to your personal fit, and wow there is some variation amongst the human population.

          I got to try an odyssey headset earlier this year, it was surprisingly comfortable as I’d read nothing but comments on how uncomfortable it was?

          Yet the Index (which people rave about in terms of comfort) is not particularly great for me and took considerable modding to improve, with long sessions limited by PU face cushion (I cannot use the valve face gasket).

          Very interested to try any new Samsung headset (and Reverb G2) and see how their ergonomics mesh with mine!

          • GunnyNinja

            I didn’t have a problem with the original Odyssey. Nor the Index. Most of the headsets I’ve owned have been fine, just that one.

          • You are lucky then! I found Vive Pro more comfortable than my Index.

        • TechPassion

          VRCover is good, but that leather makes your face sweat. They should have made the material breathing, with holes for ventilation and not from leather for sure. In order to play with VRCover I have to put a bigger fan on floor, 6 feet away and direct it at my face.

          • BonWOLF

            They have cloth too!

      • James Cobalt

        Yup. But the Studioform Creative head strap turns that headset from a headache-machine into one of the most comfortable HMDs. I could wear it for hours with that extra strap.

        • TechPassion

          Studioform is not bad, but this one from VRHeadStrap.com is way better. I tested both head straps.
          https://www.vrheadstrap.com

      • jimmy

        all the wmr have extremely cheap built quality they feel like Chinese knock off

      • TechPassion

        Uncomfortable? Odyssey+ is very comfortable and super quality. The best vr headset ever…. and for peanuts price of 220 USD – 499 USD.

      • TimmyP

        Get a vrcover. That regular face cover is stiff tho.

    • Andrew Jakobs

      Shame we still haven’t heard anything from Samsung on any new headset, and I even think they don’t actively produce new O+

  • Rudl Za Vedno

    I’m gonna postpone my new HMD and GPU purchase till the end of the year to see if anything noteworthy besides G2 and Ampere gets released and then decide what to buy.

    • mepy

      Perhaps there will be an upgrade to the Vive Pro? And either way the GPU prices will be lower in a few months time than at release.

      • jimmy

        htc is dead and burried … 2

        • TechPassion

          Yep. A company managed by fools.

  • MeowMix

    It’ll be interesting to see what Lenovo does.
    1) Do they go back to WMR and produce a Lenovo headset based on the WMR 2.0 reference design ?
    2) Or stay in Oculus’ camp. Perhaps Oculus has another PCVR headset design that they’ll teamup with Lenovo once again to manufacture.

    I realize ppl assume Oculus is dropping PCVR, but there’s whispers of them still doing PCVR (there’s WAS an industry insider that stated early 2020 that Lenovo was working on a new PC headset [but maybe it’s a WMR 2.0 headset]). The Boz stated on his Instagram AMA (that I watched), that Connect 7 will features announcements no one would have expected (paraphrasing). Unfortunately (and very odd), he has since deleted that AMA.

  • ale bro

    it could just be the G2 with eye tracking

  • AdL

    Is HP waiting other companies to release its 4K VR headsets before it release its Revive G2.

    • Rudl Za Vedno

      They’ve decided to use different even higher quality lenses for G2 in the last minute. That’s what postponed production and delivery to end of October for preorders. Regular sales should begin by November (according to MRTV).

    • TechPassion

      Looks like these lenses had some problem. I do not believe they were good samaritans to customers.

  • Dave

    “Windows VR headsets to be used with SteamVR”

    So my first thought for this was Microsoft Flight Simulator and the HP Reverb G2 (You can buy MFS on Steam and MS Store). Looks like the update in the article has confirmed this.

  • Thank you for providing details! I have found it extremely helpful.

  • That’s an awesome post. Thanks for sharing this.