HTC announces its own VR headset
Taiwanese technology company HTC has now officially joined the race on virtual reality with its newest product called HTC Vive. HTC was able to come up with the latest virtual reality headset thanks to a close collaboration with gaming software company Valve.
During the 2015 Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, Spain, HTC unveiled its long-held secret in its take on virtual reality. Along with the announcement of the company’s latest update to its flagship smartphone, the HTC One M9, HTC surprised the press with its unprecedented announcement on its major development on the virtual reality technology that no one has ever predicted.
The HTC Vive is very similar to the Oculus Rift, which utlizes a built-in computing and graphics unit on the headset itself, unlike the Google Cardboard and Samsung Gear VR which use smartphone displays and processing power to create a VR experience. Some of the highlighted capabilities and features of the HTC Vive are real-time 360-degree room tracking, 90 Hz refresh rate, high-fidelity audio and relatively lightweight. The 360-degree room tracking feature is made possible by having 70 sensors to accurately track the user’s surroundings in relation to the virtual reality content. Having this feature means the user can roam around freely within his surroundings while also simultaneously having an immersive VR experience.
Handsfree controls are also made possible for the HTC Vive by the use of wireless controllers that enable its user to physically interact with objects seen on the on-screen display. According to Jeff Gatiss, Executive Director of Global Marketing for HTC, they are confident to boast the HTC Vive as the benchmark for the virtual reality industry standard, and the tech company is very optimistic working with Valve and the SteamVR platform.
It was quite a surprise that HTC has come to invest in the ever-growing virtual reality industry with the HTC Vive. According to HTC’s chairman Peter Chou, the company believes in the potential of virtual reality technology being the tool to transform the way people interact with the world. He added that the VR technology will become a mainstream consumer technology that will open up limitless possibilities like attending concerts, watching movies, or even shopping – all within virtual reality.
The HTC Vive is a serious head-to-head competitor to the Oculus Rift. We still have to see in the coming months about what HTC can deliver to surpass expectations for their entry to the VR world. The HTC Vive will be made available as a developer edition by spring 2015, and to the mainstream consumers by the end of the year.
For more information on the HTC Vive VR headset, please visit the following websites:
http://www.htcvr.com
http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/1/8127445/htc-vive-valve-vr-headset
http://www.engadget.com/2015/03/01/htc-vive-vr-headset-with-valve/
