On the heels of the success of its first smartphone, the Pixel, Google has begun developing a VR peripheral for its next generation device, rumored to be the Pixel 2.

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Google’s first foray into the mobile device market has been a major success. Last October Google released its first smartphone, the Pixel, which many stores had trouble keeping in stock. Iska Saric, spokeswomen for the company, said “The demand for the Pixel phones has exceeded our expectations, which is exciting to see”. According to analysts, last quarter revenue from sales of the device exceeded $386 million dollars.

Demand for the Pixel is a testament to the quality of hardware Google produces. The Pixel’s sleek design conceals the highest rated smartphone camera on the market. Its 12.3 Megapixel camera excels in low light photography and provides “a level of detail unexpected from a smartphone”. Despite this achievement rumors are circulating that Google is already developing its successor.

Sources claim that ‘Pixel 2’ development is focused on major hardware improvements, specifically to the camera. New patents filed by Google indicate that may also be working on virtual reality functionality of the Pixel 2. The patents show a sleek looking VR peripheral for a smartphone, which includes a “button mechanism to be configured to selectably interact with a touchscreen of the electronic device”.

If Google’s advancement of the smartphone camera is any indicator of its designs on the virtual reality market, the Google VR could be a serious contender for a mainstream VR peripheral. Bundling it with the hotly anticipated Pixel 2 will surely give Google an edge in the VR market. This is great timing by Google as virtual reality games continue to grow in popularity, and major retailers, like Amazon; plan to expand into the video game market.