We can go back in forth all day. The FACT is, companies are creating hardware and content for VR like never before. Almost all the household tech brands are investing in it. From Samsung, Apple, Google, Sony, HTC, Microsoft, and etc. Major content providers are making VR content. VR will become a common consumers product in the near future, that's clear as day.
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Google Developing Standalone Virtual Reality Headset, Upgraded Cardboard Viewer
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We can go back in forth all day. The FACT is, companies are creating hardware and content for VR like never before. Almost all the household tech brands are investing in it. From Samsung, Apple, Google, Sony, HTC, Microsoft, and etc. Major content providers are making VR content. VR will become a common consumers product in the near future, that's clear as day.
I've already shown you that the 80's and 90's were really hot periods for VR. Investment right now is nothing like what it was then...
If you're gonna ignore history because you weren't alive when it was all happening then that's fine, but don't argue with people who werr alive during that period if you're gonna do so.
You've made lots of good comments on this article, thank you. But you're stretching here. It's perfectly accurate. The article even mentions Google already has Cardboard released which requires a phone.
It's a bad lead in. Journalistically. In this instance, it makes perfect sense to cap the story with a tie in that Apple has been working on VR projects. But this story is about Google - starting off with an Apple reference is weak.
You're on MacRumors, the only reason the article is published on this site is because of a few recent rumours regarding Apple and this kind of tech. I have no issue with them tying the article back to Apple in the opening line. I'd agree if Ars or Anandtech had that lead in that it would be weird.
You made the initial point "It reads as if Google is following Apple" - I have no idea how you can come to that conclusion after reading even just the first two sentences of the article:
"As rumors circulate about Apple's secret work on virtual reality headset prototypes, Google is developing a standalone virtual reality headset, reports The Wall Street Journal. Google's virtual reality headset is not reliant on a smartphone, computer, or game console, unlike existing virtual reality products like the Oculus Rift, which requires a powerful computer, or its own Google Cardboard viewer, which requires a smartphone."
As a lead in - it's weak "As rumors circulate about Apple's secret work on virtual reality headset prototypes, Google is developing a standalone virtual reality headset, reports The Wall Street Journal."
Forget diving deeper into the story. The setup is weak. And the leading sentence is an important one. My opinion, of course. I was a Senior Editor for a news organization for about 10 years - so I do have a little experience here. Take that for whatever it's worth. I know it's the internet
As a lead in - it's weak "As rumors circulate about Apple's secret work on virtual reality headset prototypes, Google is developing a standalone virtual reality headset, reports The Wall Street Journal."
Forget diving deeper into the story. The setup is weak. And the leading sentence is an important one. My opinion, of course. I was a Senior Editor for a news organization for about 10 years - so I do have a little experience here. Take that for whatever it's worth. I know it's the internet
Ah I have no reason to doubt. You're one of the decent commentators here, it's easy to remember as they're few and far between.
As a normal reader (without editorial experience) the way it's worded didn't lead me to think that Google was following Apple. If you say it's bad journalism, I can only believe you, but it's a blog and I don't think journalistic integrity is high on the agenda.
You also said "I don't really care about who's first. But let's be factual, no?". This MacRumors article is based on a WSJ article which uses "people familiar with the mater" as it's source. I don't think there are many facts at this point.
But as someone who seems to follow this stuff, you'll know Apple's VR rumours are pretty long in the tooth - https://www.macrumors.com/2008/11/07/apple-researching-virtual-reality-headsets/ - as usual Apple probably will be late to the party in terms of consumer release, but that one data point doesn't give much away about who is following who in the grand scheme of things.
Oh a MAC rumours site. Gotta say it's a pretty rubbish 'rumour' to pick out an obscure Google product and then say 'or Apple is working on this too'.
Suuure they are. Just like I'm sure there's an 'Apple Glass'
No I am pretty sure GearVR uses the 9-axis built into the phone for tracking absolute orientation. I just took GearVR consumer V1 apart, no 9-axis sensor. Why would they use two sets of 9-axis sensors anyway, makes no sense. Unless you think one of these is a 9-axis sensor:
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https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/58808849/20160426_125404.jpg
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https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/58808849/20160426_125209.jpg
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https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/58808849/20160426_124742.jpg
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https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/58808849/20160426_124259.jpg
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Everything I read implies that the headset has motion sensors: Accelerator, gyrometer, geomagnetic, proximity