Google is planning to release a virtual reality headset this year

Rumor has it that tech giant Google is working on a virtual reality (VR) headset scheduled to debut later this year. Citing a source “familiar with Google’s plans,” a report from the Financial Times claims the headset will be a competitor to Samsung’s Gear VR, meaning the device would need to be paired with a smartphone in order to operate. 

In addition to the VR headset, Google is supposedly planning to release new Android VR software at the same time as the hardware. The company is reportedly working to improve the VR experience by making its new VR software a native part of the Android operating system.

Apparently the headset will support a far wider range of smartphones than the Gear VR. Sources also told the paper that it will feature “better sensors” and “lenses,” which suggests that it won’t be completely reliant on the equipment built into a smartphone, though the report mentions that “most of its processing power” will come from the smartphone.

According to the Financial Times , the hardware could be a Nexus-style product designed to set a target and lay the template for Google’s hardware partners. It’s reported that the hardware could be arriving in September.

Google’s VR push was rumored just last month after the company posted job listings for new positions involved in virtual reality. Currently, much is unknown about this new headset, though one open question is whether it will integrate with Project Tango, which is capable of scanning and tracking real-life environments.