Last year’s Mobile World Congress played host to the unveiling of HTC Vive and now, almost exactly a year later, HTC and Valve have locked down a concrete price point for the head-mounted device – $799.
Those who wish to reserve a consumer unit can do so when pre-orders open on February 29, with the first wave of shipments expected to take place in early April. Upon opening the box you’ll find two wireless controllers, a pair of Vive base stations, a Vive Link Box, along with a pair of Vive ear buds. Bundled in with the hardware are free copies of Owlchemy Labs’ whimsical Job Simulator and Fantastic Contraption.
Tailoring the announcement to coincide with this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, HTC also drew attention to the Vive’s integration with iOS and Android devices, allowing users to check messages, calendar reminders and even answer calls without removing the headset itself.
The consumer edition of Vive also integrates phone functionality. Enabling you to stay connected to the real world, without exiting the virtual world, Vive Phone Services demonstrates the ability to combine both realities without losing touch of either. By allowing you to receive and respond to both incoming and missed calls, get text messages and send quick replies and check upcoming calendar invites directly through the headset, it opens up a whole new world of possibilities for both consumers and businesses.
Even before the official announcement, Valve and HTC warned would-be early adopters that the HTC Vive would be considered a premium product. It’s still a full $100 more than its chief competitor Oculus Rift, with Sony yet to formally announce how much PlayStation VR will cost on day one.
Tethered with a $799 price tag, HTC Vive will be open to pre-order from February 29 ahead of a full consumer launch at the beginning of April.
