That’s right! The Oculus Rift is getting its very own web browser, currently named “Carmel”. Not much is known about the browser itself, other than that it will run on both the Oculus Rift, and Gear VR. Yeah, that’s about it. What’s interesting, though, is that Facebook (Oculus’ parent company) is making a massive bid on VR getting popular. They’ve gone so far as to create ReactVR, which is, of course, based on their own React framework. ReactVR is meant to work hand-in-hand with WebVR, which is an API for creating virtual reality experiences that can be accessed immediately from the web. Basically, if a company wants to give you a virtual-reality-based demo of its products, you won’t have to download an app just to see it. Just slip on your headset and go. On a strictly personal level, I have trouble seeing this becoming a thing. It’s not because VR isn’t amazing. It’s because good VR headsets are still expensive, not to mention uncomfortable after long periods of use. I mean, the Oculus Rift costs $600 USD, while Samsung Gear is a lot cheaper, there’s still the cost of whatever Samsung phone you put in it. Meanwhile, the HTC Vive costs a whopping $800 USD. [pullquote]I mean, it’s pretty much the opposite of mobile, which isn’t going anywhere.[/pullquote] I’m a fairly dedicated gamer, and I don’t see how anyone outside of Silicon Valley could ever think those are “affordable” options. Forget about people in other countries, like Mexico, where I am. In other words, if I, a gamer, see little practical use for VR until it gets cheaper, people probably won’t be buying an Oculus Rift to see VR content on the web (much of which will be product demos and advertising, basically). Now, if Facebook wants to get ready for VR going big, they’re making the right moves. But how long will it be before we see options that really are affordable? Sure, there are some really cheap VR devices coming out of Asia, but we’re going to need to see something better, cheaper, and from more well-known brands before browsing the web on a headset gets big, at least in Western markets. I mean, it’s pretty much the opposite of mobile, which isn’t going anywhere. That said, I’m incorrigibly curious, and I want to see where this goes. I could be all wrong about it. It’ll be interesting to see what the web looks like if it goes virtual. It’ll bring a whole new dimension to responsive design, at the least.
Ezequiel Bruni
Ezequiel Bruni is a web/UX designer, blogger, and aspiring photographer living in Mexico. When he\‘s not up to his finely-chiselled ears in wire-frames and front-end code, or ranting about the same, he indulges in beer, pizza, fantasy novels, and stand-up comedy.
Read Next
3 Essential Design Trends, June 2023
This month we are focusing on three trends within a bigger website design trend – different navigation menu styles and …
15 Best New Fonts, May 2023
The choices you make when selecting a typeface have more impact on your design than almost any other decision, so it’s …
By Ben Moss
10+ Best Tools & Resources for Web Designers and Agencies (2023 updated)
Having the ability to envision a tastefully designed website (i.e., the role creativity plays) is important. But being …
By WDD Staff
20 Best New Websites, May 2023
This month, there are tons of great new agency websites to get excited about. 3D animated prisms are a popular theme, a…
How to Find the Right White Label Website Builder for Your Agency
Web design agencies face a lot of obstacles in closing the deal with new clients. One of the most common ones is the ar…
By WDD Staff
Exciting New Tools For Designers, May 2023
There are hundreds of new tools for designers and developers released each month. We sift through them all to bring you…
3 Essential Design Trends, May 2023
All three of the website design trends here mimic something bigger going on in the tech space, from a desire to have mo…
10 Best AI Tools for Web Designers (2023)
It’s time to stop worrying if AI is going to take your job and instead start using AI to expand the services you can of…
By Simon Sterne
10 Best Marketing Agency Websites (Examples, Inspo, and Templates!)
Marketers are skilled in developing strategies, producing visual assets, writing text with high impact, and optimizing …
By WDD Staff
15 Best New Fonts, April 2023
Fonts are a designer’s best friend. They add personality to our designs and enable fine typography to elevate the quali…
By Ben Moss
20 Best New Websites, April 2023
In April’s edition, there’s a whole heap of large-scale, and even full-screen, video. Drone footage is back with a veng…
Exciting New Tools For Designers, April 2023
The AI revolution is having a huge impact on the types of products that are hitting the market, with almost every app b…