Despite the rough start to the year 2020, it turned out to be an excellent year for gaming enthusiasts with the release of next-generation consoles as well as GPUs and CPUs for PC gaming. There has also been fabulous gaming accessories that also came out over the year, and more are coming as gamers look forwards now to 2021.
Here are a few gaming accessories that might prove groundbreaking in terms of technology, and the gamer community should keep a close eye on at the same time.
Nintendo Switch Pro
(Picture: Nintendo)
Is it an accesory? With the place that Nintendo hold in the gaming world now as everyone's second team and the Switch's competitive pricing compared to the beefier offerings from Microsoft and Sony we are going to allow it.
More than enough reports have indicated the possible arrival of an overhauled version of Switch in the upcoming year. Nintendo's handheld console came out in 2017 and earned a ton of praise from the gaming community and it was rewarded with huge sales with over 65m sold.
Last year, a Lite version of the Nintendo Switch came out with toned-down specs, but the console requires a significant amount of improvements in order to keep up with the other next-generation consoles.
According to the reports regarding supply chains, the upcoming version of the Nintendo Switch, rumoured to be called the Nintendo Switch Pro, will offer better graphics quality and likely release within the first half of next year. Furthermore, rumors indicate that the console will support 4K resolutionas and sport improved computing hardware.
- Read more: The best mobile esports in 2020
Many more gamers are going to find reason to have a Switch in their hand in 2021.
Cybershoes VR Motion Controller Quest Kickstarter
(Picture: Cybershoes)
Cybershoes were the team behind the world's first-ever VR shoes for feet movement in the VR. The Quest Cybershoesr will be the wireless version of that concept and will release for the Oculus Quest and Quest 2 VR headsets of Facebook. The previous verion's wires made it uncomfortable for the user to move around freely and this updated version looks to become more consumer friendly.
Wireless Cybershoes comes with an inside-out tracking system and uses Bluetooth to connect with the Quest headsets. Whether you are standing or sitting, sliding the Cybershoes will allow you to control the game's momentum and direction depending on your motions. It is an immersive alternative to moving with a joystick or keyboard/mouse combo.
Although it will most likely come out next year, VR enthusiasts will be able to pre-order it later this year.
Apple AR Smart Glasses
(Picture: idropnews/Martin Hajek)
The next big project of Apple is to introduce augmented reality glasses under their name. The name Apple Glass is somewhat similar to the Google Glass, a reasonably old product that existed way back before the major reveal of Apple's AR glasses.
In terms of appearance, these glasses look the same as regular glasses, with its lens featuring an interactive display with gestures. The AR glasses will have two variants, with and without prescription lenses. The glasses without prescription lenses will cost $499, and the additional cost will apply otherwise.
The AR glasses will be sold as an accessory for the iPhone and will be lightweight and slim, just like any regular Ray-Ban Wayfarers.
It will also have a unique operating system known as Reality Operating System (rOS), based on the standard iOS. It will also have a chipset similar to Apple Watch, which will be relying on the iPhone. There is a high possibility that the AR glasses will have an unveiling ceremony sometime in mid-2021 and will be officially available for the public in early 2022.
Apple AR Headset
If the smart glasses were not enough to rile you up, Apple has been developing an AR headsets as well, which will most likely come out in 2021 with glasses coming later in 2022.
The employee working at Apple's headquarter disclosed that the headsets will have sci-fi features like improved human detection and 3D scanning. When it comes to design, it will be somewhat similar to the Oculus Quest VR headset but with improved lightweight materials and refined design in order to prioritize the comfort for users.
It is not yet official, but the AR headset will improve resolution and camera to enable the user to see people through the virtual objects. Overall, it will have an improved accuracy and mapping potential compared to most headsets on the market.
- Read more: What are the best VR headsets for iPhone?
Apple also plans to construct an App Store solely for the headset with an emphasis on streaming, gaming, and video meetings. Besides, only time can tell what Apple has in store for its users regarding the AR headsets as well as AR glasses.