So here’s a wild rumor for you in regards to the next generation Xperia device, which Jenia Gracia from Mobile & Apps has dubbed the Xperia Z6.

 One major feature that will be loaded in the upcoming unit will be its capability to serve as a controller to the VR headsets of the PlayStation gaming console 

Besides not having heard anything about this myself, the rumor simply doesn’t make sense to me – here’s why.

Let’s put aside the fact that the Xperia Z family is dead – and really, we all need to stop thinking that the Z6 is around the bend, but I’ll have more on that in a later piece. The idea of having a Sony smartphone that serves as a controller for PlayStation VR sure sounds cool but it’s about as impractical as it gets. The first challenge is that all modern devices are touchscreen. Unless Sony is planning on building some form of hybrid Xperia Play type device, which frankly sounds expensive as hell, why would Sony release a phone that somehow caters to the PS VR crowd only? If it is touchscreen-based, they might as well just release an app, right? Even then, the idea still sounds terrible because with VR, you can’t see your phone. Have you tried texting with your phone with your eyes closed? Yea, doesn’t work so well.

Sure, the phone could have some fancy tracking features for PS VR which would allow it to be tracked and display content virtually, but that again sounds like an expensive solution to a problem nobody is having. On the other hand, let’s assume that Sony is building some hybrid phone like the Xperia Play that somehow doesn’t turn out to be ridiculously expensive – does the business model behind it make sense?

Unless Sony is gearing up to have additional features that entice gamers, the phone would likely interest only PS4 owners who also want VR. That’s a pretty small audience to target with a device that clearly would have required a hefty R&D budget. On top of that, are there enough hardcore VR users out there who would want to switch their phone, just so their limited time with VR could be enhanced? Then there is the need to have all developers support it, otherwise enthusiasts could purchase the phone, only to find out that the three VR titles they purchased have no added functionality for their fancy new phone. And if not that, does Sony force all VR games to have such a feature, even if it doesn’t call for it?

And this is assuming that all the other features on the phone are as good as other mid to high-end phones available. If you give me a next generation Xperia Play that has some fantastical VR feature but the camera is lacking compared to current phones, it’s already a deal breaker which brings me back to my earlier point. Even if Sony could develop such a device, it sounds like something that’s going to be awfully expensive. People already balked at the Xperia X pricing, now imagine adding VR type features on top of it. Hello $900+ phone.

For Sony’s sake, I hope that this turns out to be nothing but a rumor that never materializes.

Discuss:

Do you think releasing an Xperia device that serves as a PlayStation VR controller makes sense?