Bridge VR headset release date, news & updates: limited number of Bridge VR headsets hit the market this week

Noriel See Wednesday, December 14, 2016

A promotional image for the Bridge Virtual Reality (VR) headset | Occipital

Android users have been using virtual reality (VR) headsets for some time now, but it looks like iOS users are about to join the party.

Sean O'Kane of The Verge has reported that a limited number of Occipital's Bridge VR headset will hit the market this week and interested buyers can get it for $499. iPhone 6, 6S, and 7 owners who have smartphones running on iOS 9 or higher can check it out.

Consumers who can't get a unit because of the limited stocks don't have to worry because Occipital will release the VR headset in March next year for $399.

But why aren't Android smartphones supported by the headset? Why optimize it for the iPhone alone? Occipital's Adam Rodnitzky has an explanation. He told UploadVR that the VR headset was designed for the iPhone because of the phone's consistent form factor, the number of users who update their iOS to the latest version, and the high-end specs of the iPhone. The VR headset may have been created exclusively for the iPhone, but Occipital's Adam Rodnitzky said they might support Android someday.

So, how good is the Bridge? WIRED's Tim Moynihan says the Bridge is better than any other phone-driven headset because of its positional-tracking capabilities. "Positional tracking is what makes higher-end hardware such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and PlayStation VR such fundamentally different devices compared to phone-based headsets like the Gear VR and Daydream View. With positional tracking, you can roam around inside a virtual world laterally and vertically," Moynihan explains.

Meanwhile, O'Kane describes the Bridge as a "mix between Microsoft's HoloLens augmented reality glasses and the Samsung Gear VR." Those are two really good devices. He also said that the Bridge has the edge over other phone-based headsets because of how it integrates Occipital's Structure Sensor.

"This means that instead of just sitting in one spot and spinning around, you could actually lean your head and walk around inside a VR game or experience â€” something that was previously hard to come by in a mobile setting," he said.