Valve and business partner HTC are readying the second development kit of their virtual reality headset, HTC Vive.
Aptly called the Vive Pre, the latest iteration of the hardware has been described as the defining step between the original build and the final, consumer-ready platform. Said to be more comfortable and compact that its predecessor, the most notable addition to the HTC Vive is the system’s new front-facing camera, which allows the head-mounted device to incorporate elements of the real world around you into the virtual.
In a statement, Valve teased that “being able to take a seat, find your drink, and carry on conversations without removing your headset is only the beginning of what’s possible.”
While there are no exclusive titles in the works for the HTC Vive, both Valve and HTC firmly believe that the hardware offers a truly immersive VR experience. HTC Vice President of Planning and Management, Dan O’Brien, drew attention to the device’s selling power.
“I think the Vive is going to be for anybody that decides that they want the best VR experience,” he says. “I think today — yeah, the innovator, the early adopter, the person who wants to go after the new technology’s going to immediately grab onto it, but I think any consumer will find this a much more enjoyable experience.”
Slated for a consumer launch in April of this year, Valve is fast approaching the hardware launch of the HTC Vive, which surely means that a price point is imminent. CES 2016 is currently taking place in Las Vegas, so we expect plenty of tech information to be seeping out over the coming days.
