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Varjo Aero Announced: $1990 SteamVR Headset, 2.9K Per Eye Mini LED, Eye-Tracking

From uploadvr

Finland-based high-spec headset maker Varjo today announced its first VR device available to both commerical and consumer markets, the Varjo Aero.

The Varjo Aero launches orders today with the first shipments expected in December. It’s a $1,990 wired SteamVR headset that is still largelly intended to be sold to commercial markets, but Varjo also envisions top-end enthusiasts that want the best experience for simulator apps like Microsoft Flight Simulator picking the headset up. We’ve already had a chance to review the device, which you can check out here.

Varjo Aero Specs

The Varjo Aero offers 2,880 x 2,720 per eye resolution through dual mini LED displays with custom-made aspheric variable resolution lenses. That puts it comfortably in front of the previous leader for resolution, the 2,440 x 2,440 HTC Vive Pro 2. It’s also got a 90Hz refresh rate and a 115 degree horizontal field of view (or 134 degrees diagonally).

One of the Aero’s other key features is its 200Hz eye-tracking. As with other solutions, this can be used either as a means of input in compatible apps, or for foveated rendering, in which the display only fully renders the direct center of your gaze, reducing the demand on your PC. This also allows for automatic IPD adjustment between a range of 57 – 73mm, with the lenses moving themselves to fit a user’s eyes once they put the headset on.

In terms of comfort, the headset weighs in at 717g total, though 487g of that is the visor and the other 230g is for the three-point fit headband with a counterweight at the back. It’s also got two built-in buttons on one side for basic interactions and a 3.5mm audio jack, with a pair of headphones and microphone included in the package.

The device does lose some of the features from the more expensive and fully enterprise-focused VR-3 and XR-3. There are no front-facing cameras so no hand-tracking or mixed reality support, for example, though Varjo stresses that removing these features has brought down the weight. Unlike those headsets, you also don’t have to purchase a subscription to Varjo’s support software.

The $1,990 price point, meanwhile, is for just the headset itself. Varjo expects you to already have SteamVR base stations and either Vive wands or Valve Index controllers. As you can probably imagine, recommended system requirements to run the headset are incredibly high (though, again, less than those for its other devices). Varjo suggests a 4-core CPU with a GeForce 3070 or 2080, or the A4000 or Quadro RTX 5000 cards.

We think the Varjo Aero offers a powerhouse VR experience, but we also experienced a major flaw, with very noticable screen distortion at the edges of the lenses when turning your head. We’ve spoken to Varjo about this issue and the company attributes to a software problem that it hopes to fix before the first headsets arrive on doorsteps. We’ll update you on the progress of this issue when we can.

What do you make of the Varjo Aero? Let us know in the comments below!

Varjo Teases ‘Varjo For All’ Message Ahead Of New Reveal

From uploadvr

Ahead of an announcement this Thursday, high-end headset maker Varjo is teasing the message ‘Varjo For All’.

That phrase was hidden in a teaser video the company posted on its Twitter account this week. Reddit user r448191 spotted the message (thanks to Max Larsson for the tip) amongst a stream of jumbled letters, and we’ve since found it too. It’s at the 00:06:01 mark if you want to see for yourself.

Traditionally, Varjo has made high-spec headsets that push the boundaries of resolution and mixed reality integration but are high cost come with mandatory, expensive subscription software for the B2B market. Is it possible that this tease indicates Varjo is releasing a new device that isn’t just sold to businesses? Last week the company confirmed it would be announcing a “highly anticipated product” at the reveal event.

It would definitely be interesting to see Varjo enter the consumer market to potentially compete with the likes of the HTC Vive Pro 2 and HP Reverb G2, though how much could the company realistically price its own consumer device at? What would have to change from its VR-3 and XR-3 products, and what kind of PC would a consumer have to have to run the kit?

We’ll have to wait until Thursday to find out. The Varjo reveal event is taking place at 12pm ET/9am PT and we’ll be here to report on whatever the company has to announce. For now let us know what you’re hoping to see from Varjo’s announcement later this week!

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.

Mark Zuckerberg Teases ‘Retina Resolution’ Prototype VR Headset From Facebook

From uploadvr

It seems like Facebook executives are teasing prototype VR headset designs today. The latest is from CEO Mark Zuckerberg with a “retina resolution” device.

Zuckerberg posted an image of himself trying the headset on his Facebook page with the message: “I spent the day with the Facebook Reality Labs research team in Redmond to demo our next-generation virtual reality, augmented reality and artifical [sic] intelligence tech. This one is an early retina resolution prototype. The future is going to be awesome.”

While the picture itself doesn’t reveal have any notable features, a retina resolution refers to the point at which a higher resolution would look no different to a person with 20/20 vision. In other words, Zuckerberg is suggesting that the display used in the headset presents a virtual world just as clearly as how we perceive the real world. Current consumer VR headsets are much more detailed than they were five years ago, but even those with the highest resolution displays distort your view to at least some degree.

The generally accepted threshold for retinal resolution is 60 pixels per degree. No consumer VR headset yet comes close to this. Finland-based Varjo’s multi-thousand-dollar business-focused headsets surpass it, but only in a small area in the center of your view.

This is the second prototype Facebook’s shown today. The first was from the current head of virtual reality, Andrew Bosworth, who tweeted an image of a super-slim VR headset that doesn’t look too different from recent leaks for the HTC Vive Flow. Varjo is also teasing a reveal next week. Are today’s Facebook teases a response to incoming competitors?

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.

High-End Headset Maker Varjo Revealing ‘Highly Anticipated Product’ Next Week

From uploadvr

Finland-based enterprise VR/AR headset maker Varjo is set to announce something new next week.

The company has launched a teaser page for a reveal coming on October 21. On the page it teased that it will “make a revelation that will raise virtual reality to a whole new playing field.” You can sign up to be notified of the event, which takes place at 12pm ET/9am PT.

There’s just one teaser image that shows someone wearing a Varjo headset from behind. But it’s not clear if this is an all-new device or one of the company’s existing headsets – the XR-3 and VR-3. The base design, including headset-mounted buttons and straps, looks about the same as those devices.

It could be that the company is teasing successors to these devices. For the past few years, Varjo has sold high-end headsets with advanced features to businesses. That includes ultra-high-resolution panels and mixed reality support as well as built-in hand and eye-tracking. It would definitely be interesting to see how Varjo could push those features with a potential XR-4 or VR-4, though the VR-3 with subscription costs around $4,000 and the XR-3 costs around $5,500, so they definitely wouldn’t be consumer devices. Plus the current devices only started shipping earlier this year. Check out our hands-on with the XR-1 below.

We have asked the company on multiple occasions if it would ever make a consumer VR headset, but it’s always been hopeful about the concept without any concrete information to share. What would you want to see from a potential new headset from Varjo? 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’s ‘Vive Flow’ Teaser Looks A Lot Like Its Proton Concept

From uploadvr

HTC’s latest teaser for its upcoming big announcement shows an almost identical shape to a concept it revealed in early 2020.

The company announced an October 14 event late last month, promising “big news in a small package”. The marketing images so far show a black tube with a thick detachable cap bearing the VIVE logo. Settings such as eating popcorn on a couch and sitting crossed legged in a meditative pose suggest the product, whatever it exactly is, may be focused on passive use cases rather than active room-scale gaming.

The event’s tagline is ‘Go with the Flow’. HTC registered a new trademark, ‘VIVE FLOW’ last month. Statements of Use for trademarks are intentionally wide in scope, but VIVE FLOW’s is almost identical to that of ‘VIVE FOCUS’, suggesting either a new headset or new controllers.

The latest marketing image hints toward Vive Flow being a new headset. And not just any  headset – the shape shown is almost identical to the Proton concept HTC showed in early 2020.

In January of this year, HTC EMEA General Manager Graham Wheeler hinted “we expect to see the rise of All-in-Two devices – lightweight glasses which are connected to a smartphone”, calling this device category “all in two”.

Taking these comments into account, looking at the marketing images for Vive Flow so far, and noting the similarity of the outlined shape to the Proton concept, it’s not much of a stretch to conclude HTC may be about to announce a lightweight viewer headset. Rather than competing directly with Oculus Quest in the room scale interactivity and gaming use cases, HTC could be aiming for a sub-market relatively untouched outside of China. HTC might be able to continue the idea first popularized by Oculus Go (a category Facebook has now seemingly abandoned).

By focusing on passive media applications that already exist on phones, HTC would avoid the need to invest in VR-specific content at the scale Facebook is doing – a battle the comparatively small firm would be unlikely to win.

So what exactly does the black tube have to do with this? It could be a container, a portable battery, a wireless compute unit, or some combination of the three – it’s too early to draw any conclusions.

Would you buy a compact headset designed for viewing media? What are you hoping for from HTC’s big announcement? Let us know in the comments below.

Valve Index Is Now The Second Most Used Headset On Steam, Overtaking Oculus Rift S

From uploadvr

The Valve Index is now the second most used headset on Steam, having overtaken the Oculus Rift S.

That is according to the latest update to the Steam Hardware Survey, which saw Index grow to 17.5% of overall VR headset usage on Steam. Rift S, meanwhile, fell to 17.21%, making this the first time Valve’s headset has overtaken Facebook’s PC VR-only device.

Valve Index Overtakes Rift S On Steam

This was somewhat inevitable; Facebook stopped selling the Rift S earlier this year to instead focus on the Oculus Quest 2. Index also went on sale in Australia in mid-August, which may expalin some of the platform’s growth this month.

Quest 2, meanwhile, also made a big gain this month after shrinking slightly during paused sales in August. The headset is now up to 33.19% of total usage, larger than it ever has been. Elsewhere the HTC Vive Pro 2 remained at 0.33%, while Steam users with VR headsets grew by 0.06% to 1.8%.

As always, we have to point out that the Hardware Survey is an optional feature and may not be truly reflective of the size and shape of the PC VR market. But, given that most VR headset makers don’t provide direct sales information, it’s the best we’ve got.

October marks the one-year anniversary of the release of the Quest 2, so next month’s results will tell us just how much of the PC market the headset has seized over the past 12 months. Facebook is also hosting its annual Connect developer conference later this month – will we see new hardware that could one day find a place in the Steam Hardware Survey rankings?