Quick Summary
Sony's already-announced HMD headset might be closing in on release, after being certified.
It's expected before the end of 2024, and that now looks more likely than ever.
Back at the very start of 2024, Sony made an announcement that perhaps didn't get the attention you might expect. It confirmed that it's been working on a major new project in the mixed-reality space and that it would have a high-end headset on the market by the end of the year.
Since then it's been fairly quiet, without many progress updates or much of a showcase into exactly how powerful the XR/VR headset will be, but a new leak suggests that it is indeed on course for a 2024 release date.
MySmartPrice has spotted that a new headset recently appeared on the website of the Bluetooth SIG certification body, listed as an "XR head-mounted display" with the model number SRH-S1.
It confirms that the headset sports 4K OLED displays and will be able to power mixed-reality experiences, all of which suggest that it's more a rival to the likes of Apple's Vision Pro headset than simpler gaming options.
Sony, after all, only released the PlayStation VR2 headset fairly recently, but hasn't necessarily followed it up with the amount of software support that people were hoping for.
We know from Sony's own announcement back in January that the platform will run on Snapdragon's XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, which should ensure that it's ideal for serious creative tasks, and the whole thing is marketed far more for enterprise situations than casual or home use.
It also has interesting non-standard control units that have gyro sensors embedded to allow for fine control, again marking it out from commercial headsets you might have seen or tried.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Crucially, though, we're in the dark about how much the headset will cost, and when it'll be available. Those are details that will probably be utterly crucial in deciding how the headset fares, as Apple has clearly discovered from the lacklustre sales of Vision Pro so far.
Without any official word from Sony to accompany this, though, we're still in the same position. When Sony's ready to give a firm date and price for the headset, it'll do so - but until then, you can only wait and see how things unfold.
Max is T3's Staff Writer for the Tech section – with years of experience reporting on tech and entertainment. He's also a gaming expert, both with the games themselves and in testing accessories and consoles, having previously flexed that expertise at Pocket-lint as a features editor.
-
Two new Eufy smart locks are coming – and they could be there a lot sooner than expected
Both models are rumoured to feature palm recognition
By Lizzie Wilmot Published
-
Netflix just gave every iPhone and Android user an early Christmas present
Long-awaited, exclusive title now available on Netflix for free
By Rik Henderson Published
-
PSVR2 just got a game-changing update, but Sony’s keeping quiet about it
Hand tracking will change the way you play, but Sony's hardly mentioned it
By Carrie Marshall Published
-
Sony PS Vita 2 could snatch the handheld crown from Switch 2 and Steam Deck
Industry experts "confirm" Sony is working on an all-new handheld console
By Rik Henderson Published
-
HTC Vive Focus Vision review: VR perfection?
HTC's latest headset is a premium offering – but there's some questionable older components in the specification
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Sony A1 II embraces AI for a new age in cameras
The new flagship Sony camera looks like a total beast
By Sam Cross Published
-
PS5 Pro review: the most powerful games console on the planet
The PS5 Pro does everything Sony promised it would, but is it worth upgrading if you already own a PlayStation 5?
By Rik Henderson Published
-
PS5 gets a surprise free system update ahead of the PS5 Pro launch
Expect to see some homescreen changes
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Your Philips, Sony or Panasonic smart TV gets some powerful new features for free
The Google TV Streamer isn't the only one having all the fun
By Rik Henderson Published
-
PlayStation 30th anniversary collection includes special edition PS5 Pro – and yes, this one does come with a stand
Just about every PlayStation console and peripheral will be available in PS1 grey
By Rik Henderson Published