Pico's Big Plans: A New XR Headset in 2026

Pico, a subsidiary of ByteDance, is gearing up for a significant launch in 2026. The company is developing a new XR headset equipped with cutting-edge technology, including a self-developed chip that has been in development since 2022 and is now in mass production.

Key Features

• Self-Developed Chip: Addresses major mixed reality issues like processing bottlenecks and system latency, reducing latency to approximately 12 ms while maintaining high image quality.
• Custom MicroOLED Display: Boasts a resolution of around 4,000 PPI, surpassing the Apple Vision Pro's 3,386 PPI. The display is designed to improve brightness, color, and luminance uniformity.
• Advanced Data-Capture Systems: Enhances eye-tracking, gesture-tracking, and spatial understanding.

Strategic Shift

Pico's Vice President of Technology, Zhenyuan Yang, revealed these plans at ByteDance's annual scholarship award ceremony. He emphasized that Pico is shifting its focus towards long-term technological investment rather than content and marketing. This strategic adjustment aims to mature the hardware experience for large-scale market applications.

Additional Developments

• Slim and Light MR "Goggles": Codenamed "Swan", weighing just 100 grams.
• Market Availability: Pico's headsets are typically available in China, East and Southeast Asia, and Europe, but not in North America despite efforts to enter the market.
• Pricing: Pico's headsets are priced higher than Meta's equivalents, which may limit their appeal in Meta-supported regions.