PICO4S Allegedly Leaked: Upgraded Chip, Refined Design, Challenger to Quest 3?

PICO4S Allegedly Leaked: Upgraded Chip, Refined Design, Challenger to Quest 3?With just ten days remaining until PICO's new product launch, alleged leaked images of a mixed reality headset named PICO4S have surfaced, generating significant industry buzz. Leaker OnLeaks shared renderings of the device through tech media outlet AndroidHeadlines, revealing some key specifications

PICO4S Allegedly Leaked: Upgraded Chip, Refined Design, Challenger to Quest 3?

With just ten days remaining until PICO's new product launch, alleged leaked images of a mixed reality headset named PICO4S have surfaced, generating significant industry buzz. Leaker OnLeaks shared renderings of the device through tech media outlet AndroidHeadlines, revealing some key specifications.

The PICO4S is rumored to feature the same upgraded Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 chip found in Meta Quest 3, coupled with 12GB of RAM, surpassing the Quest 3's 8GB. According to GeekBench benchmark results, the chip boasts 2 cores running at 2.05GHz and 4 cores at 2.36GHz, suggesting a potential performance leap.

In terms of design, the PICO4S appears more refined compared to its predecessor, the PICO4. The front panel is speculated to incorporate a display, although specific details remain unconfirmed. The rear has been enhanced with padding for improved comfort during wear. Additionally, the PICO4S will offer wrist-strap controllers with detachable straps, providing enhanced flexibility for users.

PICO officially confirmed a new product launch event on August 20th, marking the official unveiling of the PICO4S. Whether this device will become a breakthrough for PICO in the VR market and spearhead industry growth remains to be seen.

The Commercialization Road of XR Headsets: Thorny Path, But a Promising Future

The VR/AR/MR headset market has witnessed rapid growth in recent years, with manufacturers pouring substantial resources into research and development, as well as marketing. However, the current VR content ecosystem's shortcomings significantly hinder VR hardware penetration into the consumer market. According to a Counterpoint Research report, global VR headset shipments experienced a 29% year-over-year and 51% quarter-over-quarter decline in the first quarter of 2024, indicating a sluggish market.

While Apple released the VisionPro headset, its market performance has fallen short of expectations. Meta, Sony, and PICO are also facing inventory buildup pressures. Nevertheless, the enterprise VR market demonstrates a more stable performance, displaying stronger resilience than the consumer segment.

In the face of these challenges, manufacturers are implementing various strategies to achieve breakthroughs. PICO, for instance, undertook a workforce reduction of over 300 employees late last year, adjusting its team size and continuously developing new products. Meta announced plans to open the Quest headset's operating system to third-party developers, enticing more players to join the ecosystem. Tencent opted for an alternative approach by becoming the distributor of Meta's VR headsets.

Moreover, Apple is currently working on the second generation of its VisionPro headset, expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026. Microsoft Xbox also announced a collaboration with Meta to develop a limited-edition Quest device.

The question of whether VR/AR/MR headsets can replicate the success of smartphones remains unanswered. The future trajectory of the market will hinge on manufacturers' hardware iterations and the progress made in building a robust content ecosystem.

Conclusion

The emergence of the PICO4S signals an intensification of competition in the VR/AR/MR space. In the years ahead, manufacturers must continuously enhance hardware capabilities, enrich content ecosystems, and cater effectively to user needs to drive the entire industry towards maturity.