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HTC is gearing up to take the wraps off its new headsets including the Vive Focus 3 Business Edition and Pro 2 at ViveCon, according to Protocol.
The publication discovered mentions of a high-end Vive Pro 2 PC-VR headset, as well as a Vive Focus 3 Business Edition standalone headset in HTC’s documents.
Aside from that, the headsets made a brief appearance on the European e-commerce website Alzashop as they were taken down soon after being listed.
What to expect?
The company previously tweeted a photo of the black device in a teaser ad for the upcoming event. The recently surfaced photo hints at a new hardware reveal.
Set your expectations accordingly 🧐 pic.twitter.com/fh1dbPsyBF
— Mike – VRO (@vr_oasis) May 4, 2021
The World Design Guide awards teased a fitness-centric VR headset dubbed, the Vive Air back in April. The device featured four tracking cameras just like the Oculus Quest.
A spokesperson told Engadget that it was a mere concept. The insider stated that the design language of the concept piece has inspirations and elements that no other HTC product has, according to UploadVR.
The Vive Focus Plus is an upgraded version of its precursor. The original Vive Pro is comfortable to wear and packs enough power to smoothly run a myriad of VR titles.
An Oculus Quest competitor
HTC has neither confirmed nor denied reports suggesting it will unveil its new VR headsets at Vivecon. The event is slated to be held virtually on May 11 and 12.
If HTC actually unveils the Vive Focus 3 Business Edition at ViveCon, it is likely to be a steeply-priced enterprise-level headset. Moreover, it is expected to an Oculus Quest competitor.
HTC executives have previously expressed their plan to release a standalone headset in 2021. The company went on to win a design award for the Vive Air, sparking speculations that the device could compete with Facebook’s Oculus Quest.
Even before these speculations could gain steam, HTC PR clarified that it a concept device. The company has been working on business and enterprise apps for virtual reality for quite some time now.
As a result, the company ended up paying less emphasis on its consumer VR gaming business. A preliminary agenda for the impending event includes speakers on topics such as design, health care, and remote work. Location-based entertainment is the only gaming-related subject.
Price and availability
Alzashop listed the Vive Focus 3 for €1,474 (about $1,772). The Vive Pro 2, on the other hand, carried a price tag of €842 (about $1,012).
The headsets are slated to hit the store shelves on May 20, according to the now-deleted listings. However, Engadget suggests that may be a mere placeholder date.