HTC confirms the launch of a new VR Vive device. Will likely compete with Meta Quest Pro

Since not giving much attention to the smartphone market, HTC has specialised in virtual reality devices, with the VIVE series being one of the most popular on the market. While it originally partnered with Valve to develop gaming devices, it now seems that HTC, like Meta, is going in the direction of VR and AR productivity devices, and a new such model is now expected at CES.

New HTC Vive device will be compact and lightweight

The company confirmed to The Verge that a new VR device launch under the VIVE brand is coming at CES. The event will take place on January 5, and the promise from company reps is that it will be a small and lightweight model that will integrate all the necessary components into the headset. It will be both a VR and augmented reality device, similar in functions to what we’ve seen recently in this area.

The image provided suggests a design quite similar to other devices of its kind, with a series of cameras on the front that will allow AR effects to be achieved using video signals from the outside.

HTC’s Shen Ye says the device will be both an entertainment device, suitable for gaming and entertainment experiences, but also a productivity device, capable of being integrated into business workflows. As expected, however, such a device will not be one that offers very long battery life. Like the Meta Quest Pro, HTC suggests around two hours of battery life.

Go small or go home. pic.twitter.com/PUqqKn4V5E

– HTC VIVE (@htcvive) October 6, 2022

The fact that HTC posted on its Twitter account the message “Go small or go home”, we can however expect one of the most compact devices of its kind, which also suggests a high degree of portability. Meta’s alternatives are rather bulky devices, hard to take in a bag safely.

Of course, while Meta and HTC have been competing in this area for nearly 10 years, since the first Vive and Oculus Rift launches, the industry is waiting with bated breath for Apple’s move into the space, with a launch from the company rumored for the middle of next year.