Even though VR hardware is evolving at a rapid pace, there are still plenty of things to look forward to. On the display front, a lot of interesting changes are happening/ Surprisingly, we are still not closer to Retina Displays than we were in 1930. Whoever cracks this come first will have a major competitive advantage.
The VR Retina Displays are Coming
While there are major breakthroughs in the PPI rate of VR LCD displays we are still a long way removed from what is known as Retina Displays. This particular technology makes it impossible for the naked eye to see individual dots. Considering how virtual reality is right in one’s face, this will be extremely difficult to achieve.
To put this into perspective, a tablet held at two feet from one’s eye will seem pixel-less at 250 PPI or even less. A smartphone needs 300 PPI, whereas a VR LCD display would need a much higher number. Even the recent Japan Display screens of 1,001 DPI are not sufficient to mimic the technology known as a Retina Display.
One of the bigger questions is whether or not consumers really need a Retina Display for VR. Since people are only partially interested in VR headsets at current prices and value, a Retina Display might not make much difference. New technology will always lead to higher prices, which is the last thing the VR hardware industry needs at this stage.
It is a bit difficult to determine which PPI VR screens would need to remove the individual pixels. There is a big difference between “sufficient” and “perfect”. It seems evident a higher pixel density will be required in the future, but the exact number still remains unclear. At this rate, no VR Retina Displays will be ready for commercial use prior to 2020 or perhaps even 2021.
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