It seems as if having one virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) on the market isn’t enough for HTC, with the recent reveal of a standalone headset being made in partnership with Google. Today, the company has unveiled another, the HTC Link, a mobile headset its marketing alongside flagship smartphone, the U11.
In a Japanese press release, spotted by MoguraVR, the HTC Link looks to be completely separate from the HTC Vive branding that’s synonymous with the company’s VR business. The HMD is set to feature six degrees-of-freedom (6DoF) tracking through a bundled camera, and it’ll include two controllers that seem to be a mashup of HTC Vive’s controllers with PlayStation VR’s Move controllers, as there’s an illuminated orb on top.
Another feature that separates the HTC Link from competitors like Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream is that while it maybe powered by a smartphone it doesn’t use the screen. Instead the HMD has two 3.6 inch screens, with 1080 x 1200 pixels each and a 90 Hz refresh rate. Additionally, the headset also seems to have its own 2,800 mAh battery, which might avoid the U11 overheating, stopping gameplay.
To promote the headset in Japan HTC has partnered with the creators of Ghost in the Shell, using Ghost in the Shell ARISE artwork alongside the HTC U11 and HTC Link.
The HTC Link looks to be a Japan focused product that’s launching today through the country’s mobile carriers. For further updates on HTC’s VR plans keep reading VRFocus.
| HTC LINK product spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Head Mound Display Size | Approximately 197.69 mm (width) x 116.61 mm (height) x 167.33 mm (depth) | |
| Head mounted display weight | 554 g (provisional value) * USB (Type-C) Including Y cable | |
| Viewing angle | About 110 degrees | |
| Head mounted display battery | About 2,800 mAh | |
| display | Approximately 3.6 inches Amored X 2 | |
| (1080 x 1200 pixels each, 90 Hz refresh rate) | ||
| External connection | USB (Type-C) Y cable, 3.5 mm audio jack | |
| Bundled items | Stereo camera | One |
| 6DoF controller | Two | |
| LED Marker for HMD | One | |
| Strap for controller | Two | |
| Alkaline AAA battery | 4 | |
| earphone | One | |
| Compatible models | HTC U 11 | |