Valve might have only just launched its Index VR headset, but the company is already dreaming up ways to improve the device.
According to company founder Gabe Newell, who was filmed giving a speech at the Index launch party, Valve is already looking at how to make the headset untethered, and is working on a number of more obvious improvements that include a more ergonomical, lightweight design.
Speaking to a crowd of Valve employees, Newell called the Index a “critical milestone” for the company, and heaped praise on the headset’s versatile knuckles controllers and high-fidelity visuals.
He suggested that shipping a product isn’t the end of the journey, but rather the beginning, and expressed a desire to quickly expand distribution from “outside the U.S. and Europe to other countries.”
“There are obvious ways for us to lower the cost. There are obvious ways for us to make the product lighter, and we can improve the ergonomics. But then we get to more speculative issues,” continued Newell.
“We are looking at several methods of doing untethered Index. We have a lot of ideas for kind of revolutionary things to do with the display and optical technology. There are lots of opportunities to continue to improve the volumes that you’re tracking, and the simplicity with which you’re tracking those spaces. Those are going to be pretty fundamental opportunities.”
The complete Index package, which includes the headset, two controllers, and a pair of base stations, is currently available for $999 in the States. It’s also available for purchase in Europe, although high demand means some shipments aren’t expected to arrive until September.
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