HTC officially confirms HTC Vibe for the price of $799. February 29 is the opening date for preorders. The much lesser price compared from speculations have created interest to many users.
The price is bundled with the Vive and additional smartphone features for the VR headset. This smartphone functionality includes answering calls, checking text messages, viewing calendar schedules what the hassle of removing the headset or taking pause. Android and iOS systems are supported by its mobile operations.
The Vive Consumer Edition box contains the head-mounted display automatically, two wireless controllers, one pair of Vive base stations, one set of Vive ear buds, and Vive link box. The headset is compatible to a PC using a cable.
According to HTC, the improvements done from Vive Pre are its head-strap, much polished finish, addition to build-in microphones and the superior ergonomics. Just like the previous Vive, its microphone will contain open API, stated in The Verge.
For users who will be putting their orders, the HTC Vive will include two free VR games, namely, Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives from Owlchemy Labs and Fantastic Contraption from Northway Games. According to Fortune, Oculus may also offer free games to its preorder buyers, including CCP Games' EVE: Valkyrie and the famous Playful's Lucky's Tale.
Valve, known for its virtual reality controllers, is continuing its working progress in making original virtual reality experiences to its large network of developers just like HTC Vive. At Unity's AR/VR Vision Summit in Los Angeles, the attending developers were able to get HTC Vive Pre developer kit. It was estimated to be about 1,400 kits all in all, February 10-11.
Now, HTC is tapping the developers to create content that reach various sectors. Entertainment, education, healthcare, design, retail and even automotive are the sectors mentioned. A research estimated that over 200 million consumer virtual reality headsets will certainly target sales worldwide by 2020. This will give the company an annual growth rate of 142%.
Van Dreunen said that the evident mainstream of VR on long term basis, for both hardware manufacturers and for content builders, will eventually be kept in short term concepts. He compared it with the flow of mobile phones which was invested with only few groups of people but has now becomes very available to many individuals.
Dreunen believes that increasing the ability of virtual reality to take hold by slowing the approach will give lesser chances of becoming a fad. Of course, building the hardware and its ecosystem should be the primary thing to see. He added that the next phase will be focused with content curation.
