LG UltraGear VR trademark names high-end Oculus and Vive rival

LG is poised to enter the high-end VR market. We've already seen its prototype headset, and now, thanks to a trademark filing spotted by LetsGoDigital, we know its name too: LG's Vive and Oculus rival will be called the LG UltraGear.

First revealed back in March, simply codenamed the LG SteamVR headset, the trademark application placed with EUIPO (the European Union Intellectual Property Office) revealed its Samsung Gear VR-bothering new moniker. 

The trademark filing suggests that LG is readying a final consumer version of the device, likely in time for next year's CES 2018 conference.

VR market hots up

With Oculus, Sony, Samsung and HTC already duking it out for the best VR headset crown, LG is entering an increasingly crowded market – and an arguably underpopulated one, when it comes to consumers. Does the LG headset do enough to separate itself from the pack?

Our hands-on time with the prototype, if that proves indicative of the final product, may see the UltraGear VR launch in a very similar state to the HTC Vive.

Though its resolution is higher than other tethered headsets (going for 1440 x 1280 per eye) with a wide 110-degree field of view, it's still using the SteamVR Lighthouse motion-tracking base stations, and wand-like controllers that are expected to be very similar to the next iteration of HTC's controllers.

It has a convenient flip-up visor, useful for quick breaks from gameplay, but it could take an aggressive price point for the UltraGear VR to really stand out, especially with Oculus recently revealing the wire-free, high-powered Oculus Go. We wait with bated breath.

Gerald Lynch

Gerald is Editor-in-Chief of iMore.com. Previously he was the Executive Editor for TechRadar, taking care of the site's home cinema, gaming, smart home, entertainment and audio output. He loves gaming, but don't expect him to play with you unless your console is hooked up to a 4K HDR screen and a 7.1 surround system. Before TechRadar, Gerald was Editor of Gizmodo UK. He is also the author of 'Get Technology: Upgrade Your Future', published by Aurum Press.