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HTC Vive Flow

HTC ‘Looking Into’ Iphone And Laptop Support For Vive Flow

From uploadvr

HTC is “looking into” iPhone and laptop support for its upcoming VR headset, the Vive Flow, but they won’t be included at launch.

Currently, you need to connect an Android smartphone to the Flow via a native app. This allows you not only to control experiences by using your handset as a motion controller similar to those for the Gear VR or Oculus Go but also to use Miracast to bring your phone’s screen and features into VR. From there you can watch media apps like YouTube and Netflix.

HTC Vive Flow iPhone Support Under Investigation

But HTC explained to UploadVR that iPhone doesn’t support Miracast, and thus a crucial feature of the device would be missing. Finding a way around this issue would be tough.

That said, even without Miracast and simply using the iPhone as a controller, you could still access the library of native apps HTC is preparing for the Vive Flow. That includes meditative experiences like Nature Treks VR and some simpler gaming content too. Hopefully we might see at least that basic functionality come to the iPhone in the future.

The company also told us it was also exploring potential connections to a PC or laptop though, again, it isn’t a focus for launch.

We tried Vive Flow for ourselves this week and came away optimistic. The device weighs just 189g and is comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Pre-orders launched yesterday and the kit is set to start shipping in early November.

Are you an iPhone user hoping to pick up the HTC Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below!

HTC Vive Flow Announced: Compact $499 6DOF VR Headset

From uploadvr

After two weeks of teases, the HTC Vive Flow has been officially announced.

As was previously speculated, Vive Flow is based on HTC’s super-slim concept for a VR headset, Project Proton. The device resembles a pair of glasses with very thick lenses and weighs just 189g. The frames feature two hinges, one to help shift the device to fit a range of head sizes and the other so they can be folded up like a normal pair of glasses. It’s technically not a standalone headset, as the kit must be tethered to an external power source like a battery pack for long-term use. The device has a small onboard battery but HTC stresses this is only intended to power it so you have time to plug it back in to another source. Two cameras on the front provide 6 degrees of freedom (6DOF) positional tracking.

HTC Vive Flow Announced

HTC envisions Vive Flow as less of a gaming device and more a headset for media consumption and experiential content. To that end, you connect the device to an Android smartphone to use as a 3DOF controller and also mirror content to view inside VR. There are also native apps, and the company highlighted meditative experiences like TRIPP and Nature Treks VR. HTC also plans to bring hand-tracking support to the device in the future, though this won’t be available at launch. iPhones aren’t supported.

Specs-wise, Flow features 1.6K per-eye resolution, a 100-degree field of view and a 75Hz refresh rate. HTC declined to reveal exactly what processor the device was using, although you definitely shouldn’t expect the same performance as the Oculus Quest 2. The lenses employ diopter dials so you can twist them to find the best visual clarity. The frames feature a built-in audio solution and dual microphones, plus there’s active cooling at the front of the device.

Pre-orders for the Vive Flow go live today on the official site and the device costs $499/€549. Units will start shipping in early November and those that pre-order will also get the protective carry case HTC has been teasing thrown in for free along with seven pieces of content, though exactly what those are hasn’t been revealed.

What do you make of the HTC Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below.

Apparent Leak Unveils HTC Vive Flow, Including Price & Pre-order Date

From roadtovr

An apparent leak in HTC’s marketing material has revealed images of the upcoming Vive Flow VR headset ahead of its October 14th unveiling. The headset, which is rumored to target consumers with a casual approach to media consumption, is reportedly priced at $500, and said to begin pre-orders on October 15th.

Serial leaker ‘evleaks’ released a trove of images last night which reveal much about Vive Flow, although not every answer to all of the burning questions. We haven’t substantiated the images below, although they appear to be authentic given how they match up with the progressive teases HTC has done over the past two weeks.

It appears Vive Flow has onboard processing as stipulated in earlier reports, making it fundamentally a standalone headset.

Image courtesy evleaks

Here’s a look inside behind Vive Flow’s mirrored faceplate, which shows two optical sensors, ostensibly used for 6DOF positional tracking. If earlier reports can be believed, this may also include hand-tracking capabilities. No motion controller is seen in marketing info, and it was previously reported by Protocol that hand-tracking would be the headset’s main input method.

Image courtesy evleaks

As a side note, that Protocol report also maintained Flow’s onboard chipset would be less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 found in Oculus Quest 2 and Vive Focus 3.

While active cooling is present, from the images it’s not clear where onboard power is supposed to fit in the whole package. On the right temple arm of the headset you can see a cable trailing off, which appears to be a USB Type-C port, possibly for external power.

Image courtesy evleaks

A top-down image showing off its snap-on facial interface reveals how thin the display and optics really are, something we’ve stipulated may be thanks to the inclusion of ‘pancake’ lenses like we saw on Pico’s VR glasses prototype at CES 2020. These typically shorten the distance between display and optics at some reduction of field of view.

Image courtesy evleaks

The only look we get directly at the lenses reveals it has built-in diopter settings, so near-sighted people can use the close-fitting headset without glasses. Dual diopter dials appear to show up to a -6.0 diopter focusing power.

Image courtesy evleaks

It’s still not clear what HTC is hiding with the cable. The marketing material shows phones that notably aren’t tethered to the headset physically, and are instead connected via Bluetooth.

Image courtesy evleaks

Some of the mystery of input seems to be revealed in the image below, which maintains that a user’s phone can be used as a VR controller. This would likely be 3DOF input only.

Image courtesy evleaks

In fact, a large set of lifestyle photos position Vive Flow as a consumer headset that’s focusing on casual media consumption, and possibly productivity as well.

With the tagline “Designed to fit into your life,” Vive Flow is definitely playing to its compact form-factor, positioning it as a good on-the-go solution for media consumption.

Image courtesy evleaks

The thermos-style carrying case is said to come as a free gift when pre-ordered, which is said to start on October 15th, with shipments said to come in early November. The MSRP of $499 USD is also said to get you seven free VR apps and two months of a service called ‘Infinity Vista’, which sounds like it may be a tuned-down version of Viveport Infinity for the standalone device.

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There’s still plenty to learn about Vive Flow. We’ll be watching on October 14th for HTC’s Vive Flow event to see what gaps they can fill in. We’re still waiting to hear about specs and what other capabilities it may have, which may better justify its $500 price tag to consumers.

Supposed HTC Vive Flow Leaks Show Ultra-Slim $499 VR Headset

From uploadvr

Possible HTC Vive Flow leaks may have revealed an early look at the product ahead of tomorrow’s official reveal.

Twitter leakster evleaks posted a number of images of what could be promotional materials for the device online today. The images note that the device costs $499 and launches in early November. HTC hasn’t confirmed their legitimacy so take them with a pinch of salt for now, though the images were also shared by The Verge.

HTC Vive Flow Leaks?

If they are real, though, Flow indeed looks to be the evolution of HTC’s Project Proton concept it showed off in early 2020. It’s an ultra-slim VR headset that looks a little like a mix between glasses and ski goggles, with frames that rest on your ears rather than a full-on strap to fit to your head.

Some images show a user’s phone being used as a controller for the device, too.

Various other images hint at details like built-in audio and an active cooling system. Some also show the device with a wire running from the frames, but it’s unclear what it’s connected to.

If these images are indeed real then it’s possible that Flow is similar to older, 3DOF headsets like the Oculus Go in terms of functionality, just with a dramatically reduced form factor. Your phone could replicate a 3DOF controller with ease and many of the apps spotted in the leaks are also on Go and Gear VR (though these could all be placeholders). HTC Vive China President Alvin Wang Graylin also seemed the acknowledge the leaks in a recent tweet.

We’ll have to wait and see if there’s any validity to the leaks when HTC reveals the device tomorrow. What do you make of these possible HTC Vive Flow leaks? Let us know in the comments below.

HTC Teases First Look At Vive Flow With New Video

From uploadvr

HTC’s latest teaser for the expected Vive Flow reveal later this week gives us our first look at the actual product itself. Well, bits of it, at least.

The short clip, initially posted on Instagram and seen below, includes three very brief views of the kit from three different angles. It’s still not enough to really say anything solid about the design, other than that it’s looking increasingly likely this is indeed a new headset of some sort.

HTC Vive Flow Teaser Trailer

HTC began teasing an event with the tagline ‘Go with the Flow’ last week. The reveal is happening online on October 14th, but we found trademark listings for something called ‘Vive Flow’ earlier in the month.

Other teaser images have shown what looks like a case you could store the Vive Flow in and, yesterday, we noted how some promotional art for the event looked very similar to the 2020 concept designs for a lightweight headset codenamed Project Proton. If Flow is indeed linked to that concept then you can expect a device that connects to another source like a smartphone to power VR experiences or a fully standalone device. Vive China President Alvin Wang Graylin also teased it would reveal “big things in small packages” and, earlier this year, HTC told us it expected to see the rise of “all-in-two” devices in 2021, and this would certainly fit the bill. Questions still remain about what type of content the device would run, however.

We’ll keep a close eye on what HTC is planning to reveal later this week, then. What are you hoping for from Vive Flow? Let us know in the comments below!

HTC Likely Announcing a New Standalone Vive Headset Next Week

From roadtovr

HTC recently said that it will host an online Vive event next week, but has only teased minimal hints about what it plans to announce. Regulatory filings spotted by Road to VR suggest a new standalone HTC Vive headset will be revealed.

It’s been less than five months since HTC launched its most recent VR headsets—the Vive Pro 2 and Vive Focus 3—but it looks like they’ve got another up their sleeve.

Just ahead of next week’s HTC Vive event, a new “HTC Vive headset” has appeared in regulatory filings submitted by the company to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The FCC is tasked with certifying products with electromagnetic emissions to be safe and compatible with regulations. Products utilizing radio, WiFi, infrared, etc. need certification before they can be distributed for sale. Certification by the FCC marks one step closer to the launch of consumer electronics product.

The new headset is identified by the model number 2Q7Y100, which doesn’t match any known Vive headsets thus released. Although the company has requested confidentiality of key filings which would clearly identify the headset, there’s some clues in the available information which point toward a standalone headset.

For one, the device’s FCC label—which all consumer electronics devices are required to have—is an ‘e-label’, which means instead of being printed on the device it’s accessible through the device’s software. Specifically, the user can access the FCC label by going to Settings → About → Regulatory Information. In fact, this is the same labeling approach that HTC’s Vive Focus 3 uses.

Further supporting the likelihood of this new Vive headset being standalone is documentation detailing Wi-Fi test reports which measure to ensure that the device’s Wi-Fi broadcasts are within the legal ranges. It appears the device uses a Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) radio. Most dedicated PC VR headsets use some form of Bluetooth for controller connectivity, but none of them use Wi-Fi.

HTC has kept its teasing for next week’s event pretty minimal thus far. The company has been using the phrase, “Go with the Flow,” (notable emphasis on “Flow” as a proper noun), in its promotions which have included photos with a cylindrical case of some sort. Ostensibly the headset will be small enough to fit inside the case, which would suggest a headset much more compact than most of what’s on the market today (if the scale of the photoshopped images can be trusted, anyway).

That certainly falls in line with the Vive Proton headsets that the company initially teased way back in early 2020; though they haven’t talked about them much since. If this new standalone is based on Proton, the headset seems likely to have been rebranded to Vive Flow, which the company trademarked in late August.

There’s also the possibility that Vive Flow won’t be a VR headset at all, but will actually be the company’s first AR headset based on Qualcomm’s ‘Smart Viewer’ reference design.

All will be revealed soon enough; HTC’s event will be held next week on October 14th.

What Is The Vive Flow, HTC’s Mysterious New Device?

From vrscout

HTC teases new hardware ahead of its mysterious “Go with the Flow” event scheduled to take place later this month.

This week HTC Vive tweeted out an image of a mysterious canister with a lid next to a computer. The picture was accompanied by the date October 14th and the hashtag #gowiththeflow. Then, earlier today, HTC posted another tweet featuring a graphic with the text “Go with the Flow,” alluding to a big announcement happening at Vive.com.

It’s unclear at this time exactly what this device is. Based on recent images posted online and President Alvin Wang’s recent tweet, however, the ‘HTC Vive Flow’ could have something to do with a device called the ‘HTC Proton’ which appeared in FCC filings last year. According to the report, the hardware is listed as a “headset” with a model name of 2Q9R100. The listing also has the device under the Vive brand name with HTC Corporation as the applicant. Perhaps the Vive Flow is meant to be used in tandem with this unreleased device?

This past August another trademark was filed for a product called the ‘Vive Flow’, referencing a “[h]ead mounted display for computer-simulated reality, namely virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.” Is it possible HTC is hinting at another headset, one focused on working, home wellness, and entertainment?

Image Credit: HTC

From the looks of it, the lid and canister work together. The lid looks somewhat like a smart hub device similar to that of the Google Home Mini or Amazon Echo. Perhaps the device is meant to serve as a dedicated power unit for a separate piece of hardware? Considering the fact that HTC launched two VR headsets just last year, I believe the odds of the company announcing yet another headset are slim.

Looks like we’ll just have to wait until October 14th at 11am EST when HTC Vive lifts its veil of secrecy. In the meantime, why don’t we all just go with the flow. You can catch the action live at Vive.com or in VR via the social VR platform Engage.

Feature Image Credit: HTC

HTC is Holding a Vive Product Event Just Ahead of Facebook Connect

From roadtovr

HTC is gearing up to hold what seems to be a new product unveiling on October 14th, or just ahead of Facebook Connect on the 28th of that month. The company says we’ll be hearing about some “big news in a small package.”

HTC announced the event on Twitter, saying it will take place on October 14th at 11 AM ET (local time here) in the company’s online event space, which is hosted by social VR platform Engage.

There’s still little indication what it might be, although we have some ideas. In February 2020, the company showed off a concept XR headset called Vive Proton, which was touted as a small form-factor device in the making, albeit in its early stages.

Image courtesy HTC

Presented in two flavors—a standalone model and a tethered model—it was suggested at the time that Vive Proton achieved its small form-factor via ‘pancake’-style optics, or the type we saw in the compact Pico VR Glasses prototype at CES 2020 right before in-person events were cancelled. Maybe a more refined version of the goggles fits into that thermos-looking thing as a protective charging case?

The company’s RSVP form for the event and tweet above also features a graphic with what appears to be the outside faceplate of Proton, although that may just be wishful thinking.

Image courtesy HTC

The graphic’s headline ‘Go with the Flow’ may hold a more concrete clue, as a new HTC trademark for a product called ‘VIVE FLOW’ was filed on August 26th, 2021, which refers to a “[h]ead mounted display for computer simulated reality, namely virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.”

In any case, it’s a pretty safe bet that whatever HTC unveils it will be squarely targeted at prosumers and businesses, although we’re always happy to be wrong. There’s really only one way to find out though, and that’s to tune in on October 14th and see what HTC has in store.

HTC Vive Is Teasing ‘Big News In A Small Package’ Next Month

From uploadvr

HTC Vive is back at it with the announcement teases. The company is now hinting at a reveal next month in predictably cryptic ways.

The announcement takes place inside the Engage platform at 8am PT on October 14 and anyone can attend on VR platforms or flatscreen devices. HTC accompanied the news with an image (below) of… well we can’t quite tell what. It looks like a flask or Bluetooth speaker. Some have speculated it could be a case for some kind of foldable headset. There’s a little more to the story, though.

New HTC Vive Teases

The sign-up page includes the message ‘Go with the Flow’. We’d take bets that the reveal is for something called ‘Vive Flow’, then. Vive China President Alvin Wang Graylin also teased the event will have “big news in a small package“.

Now, fair warning, this next one is a big bit of speculation on our part. Taking a look at the event key art, there are two shapes at the bottom that do look just a little like lenses, or perhaps even the front of the Project Proton concepts HTC revealed at the beginning of last year.

HTC Proton

Proton was designed to be a lightweight headset powered either by a phone or onboard compute. Could that fit the message of something big in a small package? Or perhaps the company has something on the AR side to show?

But that’s just speculation. Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves just yet. HTC has already launched two VR headsets this year – the upgraded Vive Pro 2 for PC and the enterprise-focused Vive Focus 3 standalone headset. Though Pro 2 can be picked up by anyone, it’s still an expensive high-end device. Whatever the company announces next month — two weeks before the Facebook Connect conference — it’s likely to follow that high-end trend.

We’ll of course bring you the latest on the Vive announcement as soon as we can.