Oculus sets sights on Chinese market with Xiaomi partnership

Oculus has joined forces with Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi to manufacture its standalone Oculus Go virtual reality headset.

As part of the deal, Xiaomi will also work with Oculus to create the Mi VR Standalone -- a VR headset based on Oculus tech that'll launch exclusively in China. 

The $199 Oculus Go was unveiled last October, and is pitched as a middle-ground option for those who don't want to rely on a PC or smartphone to deliver their VR experiences. 

Both devices will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 Mobile VR Platform, with Oculus explaining it's working closely with the tech outfit to deliver "the highest possible level of performance."

The Mi VR Standalone (shown below) looks strikingly similar to the Oculus Go, and that's because both share the same core hardware features and design sensibilities. 

They'll also both support the Oculus Mobile SDK, meaning exciting Oculus developers will be able to easily bring their content to the Mi VR platform in China.