Intel’s foray into VR headset hardware has hit the skids.
The chipmaker has scrapped plans to launch Project Alloy, an x86-based standalone “merged realty” headset hardware design that was introduced in 2016, according to Road to VR.
Unveiled at the company’s developer forum in 2016, Intel originally billed Project Alloy as an all-in-one solution that supported both virtual reality and augmented reality applications and leaned on Intel’s RealSense technology. It was expected to launch this year.
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Despite scrapping plans to launch the Project Alloy reference design, the company “will continue to invest in the development of technologies to power next-generation AR/VR experiences,” Intel said in a statement to Road to VR. The ongoing investment will center on Movidius (for visual processing), RealSense, as well as other “enabling technologies” such as WiGig (for wireless VR with HTC), Thunderbolt (for high-speed data transfers) and Optane (advanced memory and storage), the company said.
“Project Alloy served as a great proof of concept for Intel and the industry – showing what’s possible in a high-performance, immersive and untethered VR experience. What we’ve learned through Project Alloy will inform future efforts,” Intel added.
RELATED: Oculus Developing Standalone VR Headset
Though Intel is stepping away from Project Alloy, others in the VR sector, including Google and Facebook-owned Oculus, are moving ahead with plans to develop and launch standalone virtual reality headsets that don’t need to be tethered to a PC or gaming console or work in tandem with a smartphone.
RELATED: Google CE Partners to Debut Standalone VR Headsets in 2017
