The upcoming Game Developer Conference (GDC) next week presents an excellent opportunity for ByteDance’s XR branch, Pico Interactive, to unveil potentially its latest standalone VR headset. This speculation is fueled by recent trademark filings and the exposure of a controller design, hinting at the forthcoming device.

An intriguing reveal by online detective @Lunayian through a post showcased a 3D rendering extracted from the Pico Connect PC application. This rendering appears to display the right-hand controller for what’s rumored to be the Pico 4S model. The design of these controllers bears resemblance to the supposed Pico 5 controllers that surfaced on Chinese online platforms in September 2023. These new controllers show significant design shifts from the previous Pico 4 versions, notably lacking the tracking IR rings seen in the Quest 2 design.

@Lunayian also highlighted last week that Pico has officially registered the Pico 4S trademark. This move suggests the 4S model could represent a modest upgrade over the Pico 4, which was initially released in Asia and Europe in October 2022. Despite these developments, a report by The Information towards the end of last year suggested that Pico might be diverting from its plans for the consumer-targeted Pico 5 VR headset. Instead, the company might be setting its sights on competing against Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset, priced at $3,500.

Currently, the precise direction Pico intends to take with its VR headset lineup remains uncertain, with speculations about a Pico 4S, Pico 5, or even a Pico 5 Pro Max circulating.

Despite experiencing significant layoffs, Pico plans to maintain its usual presence at GDC 2024, held from March 18th to 22nd in San Francisco.