Virtual reality has taken this world by storm.
Since its launch, it has seen many stages of development at a rapid pace.
There was a time when people believed that virtual reality was only a dream.
The technology has realized this dream for many people.
It has resulted in entertainment, convenience and progress.
Have you ever wanted to be a part of your favorite computer game?
Would you be dressed in detective clothes or acting as a scientist on a mission to save this planet?
You can do all these things, thanks to virtual reality.
Virtual reality is not just confined to computer games.
It includes many experiences and uses.
Do you have an adventurous side to your personality and want to experience seeing the world from one of its highest points or want to explore the great canyons?
You can do this and more more through virtual reality.
You can even swim in the deep ocean and see marine life.
Virtual reality is great for students who want to learn difficult procedures but cannot do so because of various constraints.
It has an amazing list of benefits that are mind boggling.
What is virtual reality and how does it work?
Since this article discusses virtual reality, it is very important to understand it.
Virtual reality literally means something that is close to reality.
How does it work? It works by tricking the brain into believing that things made out of technology aren’t real.
Are you confused? Let’s express this more simply.
Humans have more than the basic five senses.
We use our senses to perceive things and distinguish between the real and the unreal.
The extra senses work with the smart processing of the brain and make sure that the flow of information to our brain remains uninterrupted.
Virtual reality tricks our brain, by showing it unreal computer-generated information.
This information alters the sense-making process of our brain and we perceive things.
In short, virtual reality is a smart act of changing perceptions.
Virtual reality is a three-dimensional interactive and immersive experience.
VR for iPhone
Virtual reality is very popular throughout the world.
There are many people who want to try the latest technology.
The success of this technology is due to thehard work that has gone into its development.
It is a smart amalgamation of numerous technologies.
The first VR headsets were inexpensive.
They were not as sophisticated as what is currently available.
The early models were handheld and did not have many of the advanced features.
However, many large companies showed interest in VR development.
These companies produced headsets with advanced features very quickly.
This contributed to making the technology successful.
Apple’s success is well-known.
Apple has taken many technological leads with many surprising developments.
Apple was ahead of its competition for a long period of time, which has resulted in many loyal users.
However, this time Apple has not been able to live up to its legacy of having the technological advantage.
It has still not shown any interest in the field of virtual reality.
Since Apple doesn’t share its platform with anyone and has always been a class apart from the Android-ians, its users feel left out of the VR craze.
VR headsets have grown from handheld ugly looking headsets to sophisticated looking stand-alone models.
However, Apple is yet to launch its first headset.
This shouldn’t discourage an iPhone user from enjoying the VR experience.
There are many ways iPhone users can enjoy VR on their phones, using the third party developed headsets.
These headsets may not be as classy and hi-tech as the latest available ones.
However, they are not a bad choice either.
Top 5 VR headsets for iPhone
There are many iPhone compatible headsets available on the market.
The good thing is that most of the headsets can fit most iPhone sizes.
Here are the top five available headsets.
AtlasoniX
Nothing can beat the enjoyment of playing VR games in the comfort of your own home.
It is a remarkable part of the VR gaming system.
This headset is compatible with almost all smartphones, including the iPhone.
You just have to fit the smartphone into the given cavity and start enjoying the 3-D world, where the limit is your imagination.
You can have fun on the thrilling roller coaster rides or go on a mission to save this world from the zombie apocalypse.
The product features:
- An adjustable Head Strap for improved comfort
- The headset is compatible with iPhone and Android smartphones
- The headset has a breathable foam face, which makes it comfortable for extended wear
- Focal distance and optical display adjustments help in reducing distortion.
- Eyesight protection system
- Supports screen size, ranging from 4” to 6.2”
- Supports the following screen resolutions: HD, 3D, 1080p, 4K
VR Empire Fortune 7.0
VR Empire Fortune 7.0 is available on Amazon for $39.95.
The headset is compatible with almost all smartphones ,ranging in size from 4” to 6.5”.
The headset features an adjustable strap for extra comfort while wearing it for extended use.
It also has built-in headphones with an advanced feature of call answering with a single touch.
This means that the user can take calls, while using the phone with the headset.
It also has an option for volume adjustment.
It auto positions the smartphone to the middle line function and renders it fixed.
This headset claims to be the first one having this feature.
VR Empire has an anti-blue light lens that protects the eyes.
It also features material for the cradles to protect the phone and two trays which ensure that the phone will not move.
The headset has a diaphragm made of light material, which is hard and does a good job of conducting sound.
This headset comes with a controller that is capable of adjusting the volume, playing or stopping video, taking a selfie and flipping ebook pages on kindle.
BNEXT VR headset
This headset is available at Amazon for $39.95.
It is labeled as the best seller.
The BNext VR headset claims to have a built-in gyro sensor.
It can fit almost all smartphones ranging in size between 4” to 6.3”.
A poorly aligned headset ruins the enjoyment and fun of the VR experience.
BNext has a built-in focal display and optical distance adjustments to give you the best fitting VR headset comfort.
The wide field of view and unilateral myopic alignment help in reducing the distortion.
This headset is comfortable to wear for many hours, since it has an adjustable head strap, an eyesight protection system and a soft nose piece for reducing pressure.
It can also support drones that require a VR headset for control.
The headset is delivered with full information regarding apps and content that are compatible with it. BNEXT supports Screen Resolutions HD, 3D, 720p, 1080p, 4k.
Destek VR V5 headset
This headset is available at Amazon for $34.99.
V5 is an improved version of V4, since it offers a field of view of 110 degrees as compared to 103 degrees.
This offers excellent depth and perception and creates a mesmerizing and immersive VR experience.
This headset has an eye protection HD lens with anti-blue light coating and is anti-reflective.
This ensures that the eyes are not strained during extended hours of gameplay.
However, the manufacturers recommend taking off the headset after every half hour to rest the eyes.
Destek V5 has space to accommodate eyeglasses, which is an advantage.
It also has a built-in button for pupil distance alignment.
This headset weighs only 11.3 gms and has an adjustable head strap.
The face pad inside the headset is made of ultra-soft breathable and washable fabric and is removable.
Destek comes with a Bluetooth controller for increased comfort.
Unfortunately, the controller does not support Daydream apps.
Optoslon 3D VR Glasses
Optoslon 3D VR is available at Amazon for $29.99.
It is compatible with all smartphones which are between 4.7” to 6.2”.
This headset offers a field of view of 110 degrees and has eye protected lenses.
It comes with Bluetooth remote control.
It can accommodate eyeglasses which is an advantage.
The focus can be adjusted for better visuals and the head strap can also be adjusted for an optimum fit.
Since not everyone has the same distance between their eyes, this headset lets you adjust that.
According to the user reviews, this headset is the best for the price.
It is a glorified version of the Google Cardboard.
It is a basic headset with excellent entertainment to offer.
Requirements for iPhone to experience VR
VR for iPhone is just like experiencing it with any other smartphone. You need the basic components to dive into the immersive world of VR. You will require:
- An iPhone and a VR viewer, like Google Cardboard or Samsung VR Gear that is compatible with the iPhone. The viewer is required, since it provides the two lenses and the immersive environment required for experiencing VR.
- Apps that deliver the VR content and are compatible with the iPhone VR.
What VR on the iPhone is like
As mentioned earlier in the article, the VR on the iPhone is in its early stages.
Apple has not announced anything related to launching a VR headset.
The users are enjoying the VR experience on their iPhones through headsets and apps developed by third parties.
Since nothing has been done officially by Apple , you shouldn’t expect a great VR experience with the iPhone.
At the time when there is tough competition between the tech giants and rapid VR developments, iPhone doesn’t have much to offer.
Here is what to expect while experiencing VR on the iPhone:
- Partial immersion: everyone will agree that VR is all about the immersive experience and losing yourself in the virtual world. This type of experience requires sophisticated technology, which is still a question mark with the iPhone. The users cannot interact with the VR environment, which is a major setback with iPhone VR.
- VR OS for iPhone: iPhone hasn’t developed an exclusive operating system for VR. It is believed that the iPhone has been busy with developing AR content, which is the reason for its absence from the VR market.
- The retina display isn’t adequate: iPhone XS Max has a screen display of 6.5 Super Retina HD display with a 2,688 x 1,242, 458ppi screen. This is an improvement by iPhone. However, it still lags behind Samsung S8, which offers a 5.8-inch Super AMOLED, 2,960 x 1,440, 570ppi screen. As a result, the screen-door effect will be greater with the iPhone for VR. The refresh rate for the iPhone is also much lower, because of its slow CPU. This causes motion sickness in the users.
Conclusion
VR on the iPhone is not what users may expect from an Apple product.
It is also in the very early stages due to the third-party developers.
However, iPhone users can still enjoy VR with the compatible headsets and apps.
We hope there will soon be some good news regarding VR development from Apple.