HTC will announce a new AR/VR headset in January to rejoin the consumer VR market. The company plans to release more details about the headset at CES on January 5. According to HTC’s global head of products Shen Ye this new VR headset will be one of the lightest on the market.
HTC’s new VR headset looks similar to a pair of goggles with front and side cameras. Consumers will be able to use the lightweight device for exercise, gaming and other forms of entertainment, as well as for productivity and enterprise purposes.
The new headset is the result of lessons learned when creating the Vive Focus 3 and Flow headsets.
“It’s about taking all of these advances that we made in not only the design aspects, but also the technology aspects, and building it into something that’s meaningful and that’s appealing for consumers,” Ye told The Verge.
The upcoming AR/VR headset will have a battery life of two hours and will support hand tracking and controllers. Additionally, the headset features outward-facing cameras that enable mixed-reality experiences. According to Ye, the device’s color passthrough may be superior to that of others on the market, allowing users to read text on a phone screen which is challenging to do on Meta’s Quest Pro headset. Likewise, the headset features a depth sensor for heightened tracking of the wearer’s movements.
Ye also stated that the company is developing new privacy protections. This includes an encrypted local partition, to ensure only the users can access data. While the exact price is unknown, Ye told The Verge it will be expensive compared to the Meta Quest 2’s $399 price tag.
Competition in VR
HTC faces stiff competition in the consumer VR market, with the Meta Quest and Pico headsets already well-established. The Pico 4 VR hit shelves in October for €429. Likewise, Meta released the Quest Pro headset that same month for $1499.99. The social media and metaverse company plans to release the Meta Quest 3 next year.
Jack Brassell is a freelance journalist and aspiring novelist. Jack is a self-proclaimed nerd with a lifelong passion for storytelling. As an author, Jack writes mostly horror and young adult fantasy. Also an avid gamer, she works as the lead news editor at Hardcore Droid. When she isn't writing or playing games, she can often be found binge-watching Parks & Rec or The Office, proudly considering herself to be a cross between Leslie Knope and Pam Beasley.
