Google may disconnect the phone for its VR vision of the future

Once mostly the dream of video game makers, the tech industry has taken a wider view of what it can show off in VR -- from virtual trips to the Alps and walks through the world's most famous museums to visits to digital doctor offices.

Google trying something new shows how seriously it's taking virtual reality. Last month, Google created its own VR division, putting vice president Clay Bavor at the helm. Bavor used to be in charge of Google apps as well, but the company cleared away all his other responsibilities to focus squarely on VR.

It's a far cry from Google's first foray into VR two years ago with Cardboard, a no-frills, made-of-paper headset design that uses a smartphone as the screen. Cardboard, developed by Bavor and his team, isn't sold by Google -- it licenses the design to others who create the \\$20-\\$25 headset. Google will also release an updated version of that product to be made of plastic, according to the Journal. The headset is also expected to include chips and sensors.

Glass, Tango and beyond

If the reports are true, it seems as though Google's approach could be similar to what it did with Google Glass, in the sense that this will be a fully formed piece of standalone hardware. Glass could connect with a phone but also worked on its own over Wi-Fi, avoiding a need to be tethered to any other device.

It's an unusual approach for VR at the moment, especially since it feels like both mobile- and PC-based VR efforts are aiming for a level of industry consistency. Would a stand-alone unit run Android, Google's mobile software? Or would it be more of a head-mounted display that interfaces with phones, tablets and computers wirelessly?

There are a few reasons for Google to pursue this type of product. Because Cardboard needed to work with several types of smartphones, screen sizes, resolutions and processors were inconsistent. Having all those things built into the headset itself means VR content makers can all step up to the same standard. That could help the whole experience look and feel a lot better.

Facebook's Oculus is intended to work with higher-resolution screens with greater pixel density than most of the phones that Google Cardboard supports, allowing for crisper, sharper images and more impressive 3D graphics.

An optimized device might also reduce lag, allowing for a smoother, more immersive viewing experience. In contrast, Cardboard didn't have a head strap for a reason -- it's laggier, lower-powered feel means it's not intended to be used for extended sessions.

A new device would also help Google adopt position tracking, something missing from mobile VR right now. Current phone-based VR headsets let you turn your head, but they can't track movement across a room. Cameras on the outside of the VR headset, which is what Google is reportedly building, could be depth-sensing ones like those used by Project Tango, another next-gen Google effort that tries to pack more sensors into phones and tablets. (Movidius also worked on Project Tango, which makes position tracking the likeliest reason for this specific hardware redesign.)