Skip to main content

HTC’s stand-alone Vive Focus VR headset hits markets outside China in 2018

Vive Focus
Image used with permission by copyright holder

During the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, HTC said that its stand-alone virtual reality headset, the Vive Focus, will be made available to purchase outside China later this year. To get content creators started, the developers kit is available now via HTC’s dedicated portal for all registered developers in “most countries.” 

The Vive Focus is a collaboration between HTC and Qualcomm to provide an untethered VR experience. It was originally intended to be a stand-alone Daydream headset supporting Google’s WorldSense environment-tracking technology, but HTC instead jumped off the Google bandwagon and produced a stand-alone VR headset specifically for China relying on its own room-tracking technology. 

But don’t get too excited just yet. The Vive Focus won’t be on the same visual level as the company’s Vive and Vive Pro headsets for PC. In a sense, it’s a step up from the likes of Samsung’s Gear VR headset, only you don’t need a smartphone for the Vive Focus. It’s a self-contained unit to enjoy virtual reality without the annoying wires associated with PC-tethered, high-definition headsets. 

Outside the removal of wires, the big selling point with the Vive Focus is that it supports six degrees of freedom: Left, right, up, down, forward, and backward. Built-in sensors essentially let you physically wander without the worries of bumping into walls, stumbling over furniture, or smacking friends and family with the included controllers. It also relies on HTC’s Viveport platform for content distribution rather than Google Play. 

Under the hood, HTC’s headset relies on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 mobile processor and a single AMOLED screen with a 2,880 x 1,600 resolution (1,440 x 1,600 per eye). Other features include a built-in microphone, built-in speakers, a 3.5mm audio jack, a built-in rechargeable battery, a Micro SD card slot supporting up to 2TB of storage, and Wireless AC connectivity. 

Currently, the Vive Focus is sold exclusively in China priced at $680 for the Electric Blue model and $632 for the Almond White version. Unfortunately, we don’t have specific release dates and local pricing for these units outside China just yet. 

“Vive Focus is designed to appeal to a wider range of mass market audiences as well as commercial/enterprise users who want broad deployment and stunning VR experiences in a convenient and portable form factor,” the company says. 

In addition to revealing the international release news, HTC said that developers bringing their experiences to the PC-based Vive headsets and the Vive Focus in China will receive 100 percent of the revenue stemming from title sales and Viveport subscriptions. But the window of opportunity only stretches between April and September. HTC sees this as means of “empowering” developers to create better experiences for the Chinese audience. 

Despite the Vive Focus hitting the international market later this year, the headset is seemingly already outdated thanks to Qualcomm’s latest stand-alone VR headset reference design. It’s based on the newer Snapdragon 845 mobile processor and includes eye-tracking technology provided by Tobii, the same company that provides eye-tracking hardware for PC gamers. 

Editors' Recommendations

Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Two new ‘game-changing’ VR headsets could arrive at HTC’s ViveCon next week
HTC Vive Pro Eye virtual reality headset

HTC has been teasing that a new virtual reality headset could launch at its Vivecon conference next week, but the company may have more up its sleeve. We are hearing reports that HTC has several VR headsets in the works. The company is expected to launch at least two new headsets at ViveCon on May 11, and it will likely use the venue to talk about the recently leaked Vive Air.

The two headsets rumored to be launching at ViveCon are the HTC Vive Pro 2 and the Vive Focus 3 Business Edition. HTC's sports-focused Vive Air was leaked late last month, but the company quickly debunked speculation that this particular model will be launching any time soon. Instead, HTC said that the Vive Air is just a concept.

Read more
Oculus Rift vs. HTC Vive
msi oculus vr rift collaboration backpack pc on matt back2

The virtual reality headset industry is far more mature than when it re-emerged with exciting new hardware in 2016, but Oculus and HTC's flagship PC headsets are still two of the best choices out there.

Yes, there are other versions of these PC headsets, and while you might be more excited about the HTC Vive Pro, Oculus Go, or Oculus Quest, the Oculus Rift (and updated Rift S model) versus HTC Vive (now currently on the Cosmos line of products) comparison is still a major debate worth having when it comes to picking the right VR headset for you -- especially if you already have a capable gaming PC.
Design

Read more
Apple reportedly working on an AR headset with Vive-like controllers
HTC Vive Pro

Apple has made its interest in augmented reality (AR) very clear in recent years, and rumors that the company is working on an AR headset have been making the rounds for a long time. Now, new evidence suggests Apple is closer than ever to finalizing these plans.

According to MacRumors, a leaked build of the upcoming iOS 14 operating system contains a photo of what seems to be a controller for an AR or virtual reality (VR) headset -- or one that combines both, known as “mixed reality."

Read more