Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset Coming to iOS Devices [Update: No]

Oculus VR is developing a mobile version of its Oculus Rift headset that will be compatible with iOS devices, according to CEO Brendan Iribe who announced the news during VentureBeat's GamesBeat 2013 conference. News of a potential mobile-compatible Oculus Rift originally surfaced earlier this year, when Iribe suggested the company was excited about the rapid development of cellphone technology.

First introduced via Kickstarter last summer, Oculus Rift is a virtual reality head-mounted display that is designed to offer a fully immersive gaming experience.


While current prototypes are designed to work with PCs and Macs, the company plans to launch a mobile version at the same time the PC version hits the market. According to Iribe, the initial mobile version of the Oculus Rift will work solely with iOS devices as Android is not designed to work with virtual reality. The iOS-compatible Oculus Rift will be lighter than the standard version and will utilize the mobile device's processor.

"We have some exciting plans on the mobile VR side as the PC VR side," Iribe said. "We're really looking at hitting the consumer market. We're very excited about what we're seeing. Skeptical about how good mobile VR could be on such a small platform. It's pretty incredible what [John Carmack has] been able to do."

At the current point in time, the Oculus Rift remains in development. Oculus VR has sent out a number of dev kits to Mac and PC developers, but a specific release date has not yet been announced. According to a July interview with Brandon Iribe, the company is aiming for a 2014 launch.

Update: Oculus VR has contacted VentureBeat to clarify that the mobile version of Oculus Rift is being developed for Android, not iOS.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Available Next Month With These 8 New Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 9:48 am PST by
Apple released the first iOS 26.2 beta last week. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics in Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date....
m1 chip slide

Five Years of Apple Silicon: M1 to M5 Performance Comparison

Monday November 10, 2025 1:08 pm PST by
Today marks the fifth anniversary of the Apple silicon chip that replaced Intel chips in Apple's Mac lineup. The first Apple silicon chip, the M1, was unveiled on November 10, 2020. The M1 debuted in the MacBook Air, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro. The M1 chip was impressive when it launched, featuring the "world's fastest CPU core" and industry-leading performance per watt, and it's only ...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2, AirPods Pro 3, and AirPods 4

Thursday November 13, 2025 11:35 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3, the AirPods 4, and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 firmware is 8B21, all up from the prior 8A358 firmware released in October. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2, AirPods 4 with ANC, and AirPods Pro 3...
iphone pocket%402x

Apple Debuts iPhone Pocket, a Limited Edition iPod Sock-Style Accessory

Tuesday November 11, 2025 1:23 am PST by
Apple has teamed up with Japanese fashion house ISSEY MIYAKE to launch iPhone Pocket, a 3D-knitted limited edition accessory designed to carry an iPhone, AirPods, and other everyday items. The accessory is like a stretchy pocket, not unlike an iPod Sock, but elongated to form a strap made of a ribbed, elastic textile that fully encloses an iPhone yet allows you to glimpse the display...
homepod mini colors

New HomePod Mini Coming Soon With These Features

Tuesday November 11, 2025 7:30 am PST by
Apple is expected to announce a new HomePod mini imminently, headlining with new chips. Here are all of the new features we're expecting. The second-generation HomePod mini is highly likely to contain a more up-to-date chip for more advanced computational audio and improved responsiveness. The current HomePod mini is equipped with the Apple Watch Series 5's S5 chip from 2019. Apple is likely ...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Announces Launch of U.S. Passport Feature in iPhone's Wallet App

Wednesday November 12, 2025 9:15 am PST by
Apple today announced that iPhone users can now create a Digital ID in the Apple Wallet app based on information from their U.S. passport. To create and present a Digital ID based on a U.S. passport, you need: An iPhone 11 or later running iOS 26.1 or later, or an Apple Watch Series 6 or later running watchOS 26.1 or later Face ID or Touch ID and Bluetooth turned on An Apple Account ...
homepod mini thumb feature

New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and AirTag Were Expected This Year — Where Are They?

Wednesday November 12, 2025 11:42 am PST by
While it was rumored that Apple planned to release new versions of the HomePod mini, Apple TV, and AirTag this year, it is no longer clear if that will still happen. Back in January, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said Apple planned to release new HomePod mini and Apple TV models "toward the end of the year," while he at one point expected a new AirTag to launch "around the middle of 2025." Yet,...
CarPlay Pinned Messages

iOS 26.2 Adds New CarPlay Setting

Thursday November 13, 2025 6:48 am PST by
iOS 26 extended pinned conversations in the Messages app to CarPlay, for quick access to your most frequent chats. However, some drivers may prefer the classic view with a list of individual conversations only, and Apple now lets users choose. Apple released the second beta of iOS 26.2 this week, and it introduces a new CarPlay setting for turning off pinned conversations in the Messages...
Tesla Charging

Tesla Working to Add Apple CarPlay Support to Vehicles

Thursday November 13, 2025 8:31 am PST by
Tesla is working to add support for Apple CarPlay in its vehicles, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Tesla vehicles rely on its own infotainment software system, which integrates vehicle functions, navigation, music, web browsing, and more. The automaker has been an outlier in foregoing support for Apple CarPlay, which has otherwise become an industry standard feature, allowing users to...
iphone air thinness

iPhone Air Sales Are So Bad That Apple's Delaying the Next-Generation Version

Monday November 10, 2025 11:41 am PST by
The thin, light iPhone Air sold so poorly that Apple has decided to delay the launch of the next-generation iPhone Air that was scheduled to come out alongside the iPhone 18 Pro, reports The Information. Apple initially planned to release a new iPhone Air in fall 2026, but now that's not going to happen. Since the iPhone Air launched in September, there have been reports of poor sales...

Top Rated Comments

efktd Avatar
157 months ago
Update: No.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jsd Avatar
157 months ago
This article is incorrect

VentureBeat misquoted Iribe. The device will be Android-only. They've updated their article.

As for you skeptics: I have an Oculus Rift, and it's the best new device I've used since the original iPhone. It gets the same kind of reactions when I demo, and feels like a real change coming, unlike the Glass or some gimmicky motion controller.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
v0lume4 Avatar
157 months ago
My favorite part is the update in the title. "Update: No".
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MetalHaze Avatar
157 months ago
Really guy....REALLY?!

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decimortis Avatar
157 months ago
AKA "I am a nerd" confirmation device or "I want to look ridiculous when gaming".

No, thanks.

Look ridiculous to whom exactly?
Half the time, I'm gaming without pants.

D.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
locust76 Avatar
157 months ago
Android is not designed to work with virtual reality.
Get on the line to all the iOS Fanboys across the world!

Tell 'em how to bring those sons'a'bitches down!

Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)