HTC Vive Cosmos – Page 12 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

June 21, 2019

HTC Strikes Down Vive Cosmos Price Rumor, Confirms Sub-$900 Price Point

YouTube channel MRTV today reported an expected price of $900 for the upcoming Vive Cosmos headset, citing a “trusted industry insider.” Responding to the rumor, HTC tells Road to VR that the price is “incorrect (and high).”

HTC is slowly revealing more details about its Vive Cosmos headset which is due to launch in Q3; today the company revealed an updated headset design which features six cameras for inside-out tracking and showed that it can be equipped with headphones (in addition to its non-headphone audio solution). However, the company is still closely guarding other information like resolution, field of view, and price.

Following the info that HTC revealed today, YouTube channel MRTV reported a rumored price for the headset at $900, citing a “trusted industry insider.” MRTV’s Sebastian Ang qualified the rumor saying, “take this with a grain of salt. However, I believe the probability of the information being true is high.”

HTC was quick to strike down the rumor, and in doing so confirmed that the headset will cost less than $900.

“We appreciate the speculation on Cosmos’ price and functionality. What was reported today is incorrect (and high). We’re just getting started on what we’ve built with Cosmos and believe we’re delivering a product with great value, functionality, and the ability to grow with you over time,” a spokesperson told Road to VR.

The MRTV video also reported a rumored August shipping date for the headset, though HTC didn’t address that speculation. We reached out to MRTV for comment on their report.

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The original Vive headset debuted at $800 when it launched in 2016 and has since come down to $500. However, price-shock was apparent among VR enthusiasts when the company revealed in 2018 that it’s next headset, the Vive Pro, would cost $1,400 for full kit, pushing it well out of consumer territory.

Cosmos meanwhile is seen as the company’s first real consumer followup to the original Vive headset (though HTC says it isn’t intended as the Vive’s successor); it’s clear from its comment on the price rumor that HTC is sensitive to the pricing concerns of potential customers, especially considering the $400 price point of Oculus’ new Rift S and Quest headsets.

With a launch set for sometime in Q3, it hopefully won’t be too long before we get an official price and release date for Vive Cosmos.

The post HTC Strikes Down Vive Cosmos Price Rumor, Confirms Sub-$900 Price Point appeared first on Road to VR.

June 21, 2019

New Teasing Footage of HTC Vive Cosmos Displays Latest Features

This year has already seen plenty of new virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays come to market, maybe too much. Oculus Quest, Oculus Rift S, HP Reverb, HTC Vive Pro Eye, Varjo VR-1 and HTC Vive Focus Plus are just some which come to mind – although the last three are enterprise focused. Valve Index is coming out later this month as well. So you may think the market doesn’t need another device, yet HTC Vive is putting the final touches to its next consumer headset, the Vive Cosmos, and earlier today the company revealed a video showcasing the new design.

HTC Vive Cosmos

Having released barely any details regarding the new device since its initial unveiling during CES 2019 in January, HTC Vive took to its Facebook page to release a video displaying the latest iteration – dubbed D120165 – slowly spinning around on a plinth.

Nothing else was provided, no specifications, price or release date, just a twirling headset to look at for six minutes. That’s not to say if you pay attention new details can’t be gleaned from the video, with the most notable being the six cameras. Quite clear for all to see, Vive Cosmos has six inside-out cameras for tracking the controllers and playspace, which should ensure a loss of controller tracking is minimal or non-existent. Four are permanently fixing – two front facing, two on the side – while the other two are mounted top and bottom at a 45-degree angle on a removable faceplate. At the moment there isn’t a clear reason why this is removable as there don’t seem to bee additional connection behind it – unlike Valve Index’s ‘Frunk’ which has a USB port.

So what else is worth noting? Well the headphones look detachable and there seems to be a 3.5mm socket on the right-hand side if you want to plug your own headphones into – and there do seem to be a few little cables everywhere. The head strap is a halo-style design with a tightening dial on the back and of course, we can see the hinge in action.

HTC Vive Cosmos

Other than that there aren’t lots of details to get excited about without knowing the specs. Earlier this month HTC Vive did begin enticing VR developers to the system which is now slated to launch Q3 2019. As further details arrive, VRFocus will keep you updated.

June 21, 2019

HTC Unveils New Cosmos Design, 6 Inside-out Cameras & Removable Faceplate

HTC today unveiled a new design for Cosmos, the company’s upcoming inside-out tracked PC VR headset slated for release in Q3 2019.

HTC posted the unveiling in a video on the Vive Facebook page, mentioning the headset’s codename ‘D120165′. HTC further says they’ll be releasing specs on Cosmos next week.

We’ve seen non-working units before at Cosmos’ unveiling at CES 2019 in January, and at least visually we can tell a few things have changed in the new design.

Firstly, the headset now seems to sport six camera sensors instead of the previously shown four, something that ought to give it a wider field of view for optically tracking the system’s motion controllers.

The headset also features a faceplate that it both removable and perforated (ostensibly for ventilation). Interestingly enough, both up and downward-facing sensors are housed on the faceplate itself, which could point to the possibility of swappable modules.

While we don’t know exactly when the Vive Cosmos is set to launch (stated for Q3 2019), and at what price, it’s strange to see a redesign announced this late in the game. HTC announced earlier this month that dev kits are on the way, so it’s unclear if this or the previous design will make it into developers’ hands. It’s also already been cleared by the FCC, although these particular spec changes wouldn’t necessarily have been reflected in the FCC documentation itself.

HTC Vive Cosmos Faceplate Update Brings Tracking Cameras To 6

On HTC’s Facebook page today the company showed a new faceplate for the upcoming Vive Cosmos.

Vive Cosmos is HTC’s next consumer focused PC VR headset. It was first announced at CES 2019 in January, but HTC still hasn’t given details on specifications or pricing.

At the time it had four tracking cameras – two on the front facing forward and one each on the sides. The new design retains these cameras, but adds two more to a removable faceplate — one on the top edge (facing upward) and one on the bottom edge (facing downward).

The original design of the Vive Cosmos shown at CES 2019.

With some inside-out tracked headsets, controller tracking is lost when the user brings the controller close to, and under, the headset. The bottom camera might help with this case, which could make the Cosmos more suitable for shooter games with scoped rifles. Onward recently released a ‘Virtual Gunstock Mode’ to work around this limitation in the Oculus Rift S and Windows MR headsets.

The top camera would also cover tracking which might be lost above the head. A top camera is also used on the Oculus Rift S, and the Oculus Quest’s top corner cameras can see upward somewhat.

During the teaser, HTC showed that the front plate with the two new cameras could be detached. We reached out to HTC for clarity about the new cameras and received the following response over email:

The ‘mod’ shown will ship with Cosmos as default. As noted, it adds two additional tracking cameras from what we showed at CES this year. More to come down the road as to future ‘mods’.

Vive Cosmos is slated to launch in Q3 of this year.

Tagged with: htc, htc vive, HTC Vive Cosmos, pc vr, Vive Cosmos

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June 13, 2019

HTC To Reveal Vive Cosmos Info Next Week, Image Reveals Headphones

Just yesterday we reported that HTC’s next consumer VR headset, the Vive Cosmos, will launch in Q3 2019. Today, the company has confirmed that it will reveal more release info… next week.

A tweet just sent out from the HTC Vive account says that the story of Cosmos and details on its availability and release date will be revealed next week. There’s a new picture, too that suggests the kit may have undergone a bit of a redesign. For starters it now seems to sport mounted headphones and there’s a new pattern seen in the device’s corners.

We’re unlocking the story of the #HTC VIVE COSMOS, & have so much to share. Stay tuned to our social media next week for the story of COSMOS, availability & release date information. #HTCVIVE #HTCVIVECosmos pic.twitter.com/PKBY54pdnN

— HTC VIVE (@htcvive) June 13, 2019

From the teasers HTC has been dropping since Cosmos’ reveal in January, this will be a modular headset. We know that the kit can run on PCs and features inside-out tracking, but HTC also suggested it might be able to run off of a phone. Not only that but users may also be able to swap out other key features. Perhaps those headphones are one such addition?

Either way, we’ll be keeping a keen eye on this. HTC just releases the enterprised-focused Vive Pro Eye, but it’s been pretty quiet in the consumer space as the Oculus Rift S and Valve Index have started rolling out. Will Cosmos see the company fight its way back to the front pages? We might find out next week.

Tagged with: htc, HTC Vive Cosmos

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June 13, 2019

HTC Vive Cosmos Launching Q3, Will Have Full SteamVR Compatibility

Vive Cosmos controllers inside-out tracking VR headset

HTC’s Vive Cosmos VR headset will launch in Q3 of this year.

HTC’s getting started guide explains that the headset uses the OpenVR SDK, so it should support existing Vive and Vive Pro content. The company provided 3D models of the new controllers and is calling on developers to update their games to work well with them.

HTC’s PC VR Headsets

The original HTC Vive launched back in 2016 for $799. Today it’s sold at $499, but with new headsets like the Oculus Rift S and Valve Index on the market its resolution is looking outdated.

The Vive Pro, released in 2018, was targeted towards enterprise. It improved on resolution and comfort, but kept the same controllers and the full kit started at $1100.

HTC Is Back In The Consumer Space

Cosmos is HTC’s next “consumer-centric” PC offering. Unlike the original Vive, it was designed and developed at HTC, not in partnership with Valve. Valve is now releasing their own VR headset, the Index– without HTC.

Cosmos aims to improve on the resolution, lenses, and comfort of the Vive and switches to inside-out tracking with four cameras. Like Microsoft and Facebook, HTC has developed a computer vision-based tracking system that also tracks the controllers.

The controllers have been completely redesigned, bearing a resemblance to the new Oculus Touch controllers for Rift S and Quest. And like the Touch controllers, these new controllers use thumbsticks, not trackpads.

HTC claims Cosmos has its “sharpest yet” screens. Given that the Vive Pro used 1440×1600 OLED panels, this could mean it uses the JDI 2160×2160 panels the HP Reverb uses.

Like all HTC headsets, Cosmos features mechanical IPD adjustment. It connects to the PC with a cable– it’s not yet known whether the Vive wireless adapter will be compatible.

Because HTC believes some users only want external tracking, or rely on their Vive trackers, the original Vive should still be sold. Unlike Facebook, HTC is not retiring their 2016 headset. HTC hasn’t yet announced whether the Vive will get another price cut, but it seems possible.

Place In The Market

Depending on how HTC price it, Cosmos could be positioned as a middle ground between the Rift S and the Valve Index. Some enthusiasts believe the Rift S makes too many major compromises and doesn’t improve enough on the original Rift. At the same time, however, for many Valve Index is too expensive.

HTC has teased at Cosmos getting support for smartphones for specific Android content, but this functionality won’t be available at launch and doesn’t have a release window yet. This would also likely only work on specific Snapdragon 855 devices.

Tagged with: htc, HTC Vive Cosmos, Vive Cosmos

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June 11, 2019

Vive Cosmos Release Date Confirmed for Q3, Dev Kits Now Heading to Developers

Following mostly silence about the headset from the company after the reveal in January, HTC has confirmed that Vive Cosmos is due to launch in Q3. Vive Cosmos dev kits are now on their way to developers.

HTC revealed Vive Cosmos back at CES 2019, but wasn’t ready to say much about it, let alone let anyone actually try it. Now the company says the headset is due to launch in Q3 and has begun sending dev kits to developers.

However, HTC still isn’t sharing basic info about the headset like resolution, field of view, weight, tracking details, or price. And while we know that the headset will be compatible with PCs, the company has also teased that it will be able to plug into a smartphone, but has yet to offer details on how that will work.

Presumably some of these questions will start to be answered as developers get their hands on the hardware, though it isn’t clear if they’ll be allowed to share any details until HTC itself makes more information available to the public.

HTC has Begun Seeding Developers for Vive Cosmos

When it comes to details regarding the latest consumer-focused headset from HTC Vive, the Vive Cosmos, the company hasn’t exactly been shouting from the rooftops. While the announcement was some of the biggest news to come out of CES 2019, since then it was revealed a launch window of Q3 2019 was in place. Now it seems HTC Vive has begun building developer interest in the headset to ensure launch window content.

Vive Cosmos Controllers

Over on the Vive Developer portal the company has created a ‘Getting Started with Vive Cosmos Development’ guide to help studios either currently building or with a published title fine-tune their experience for the new headset. Vive Cosmos will be fully backwards compatible with current SteamVR videogames but there are areas developers can upgrade if they so wish, ensuring their titles make the most of Vive Cosmos.

To make sure content looks and feels awesome on the device the Vive team states that it’ll be “committing the next 2 months to comprehensive testing.” So for developers that means plenty of time to send in an updated build for the team to test and prepare for the headset launch. For consumers, two months means a possible release could happen in August (for Gamescom?) or more likely September putting it closer to the festive sales season.

While this is good news for developers as it’ll mean another platform to sell on, details regarding Vive Cosmos’ actual specification are yet to be confirmed such as resolution and FOV. What is known is that Vive Cosmos will be a tethered headset with inside out tracking, 6DoF controllers and a hinged front. It’ll be more like a rival to Oculus Rift S than a competitor to Oculus Quest, HTC Vive has the Vive Focus for that.

HTC Vive Cosmos

It was also revealed that Vive Cosmos will get a wireless adaptor although it’s currently unknown if this will be an upgraded device to the current Vive wireless adaptor.

One thing is for sure, there isn’t long left to go until Vive Cosmos will be in the hands of consumers. The only problem, by the end of 2019 those interested in VR will be spoilt for choice. As further details are revealed VRFocus will keep you updated.

May 22, 2019

HTC Vive Cosmos Slated for Q3 2019 Launch

This week has certainly been focused on Oculus and its two headsets Quest and Rift S (especially the latter), but earlier in the year HTC Vive dominated announcing the Vive Cosmos and Vive Pro Eye. While the Vive Pro Eye has now gone on sale HTC Vive hasn’t released any further info on the other headset, initially seen as a rival to Oculus Quest. Now details have emerged that reveal a launch window of Q3 2019 for HTC Vive Cosmos.

HTC Vive Cosmos

Antony “SkarredGhost” Vitillo, a virtual reality (VR) developer and blogger recently visited HTC’s headquarters in Taipei, Taiwan, and got to meet some of HTC Vive engineers and project managers. He naturally broached the subject of Vive Cosmos due to the complete lack of information from the company since the initial announcement.

To all intents and purposes, Vitillo met with a wall of silence when trying to glean even the slightest bit of information regarding the device – especially when it came to specs – with staff saying “Sorry, but I can’t tell you this.” But it wasn’t a complete dead end. A spokesperson did say HTC Vive Cosmos should arrive around Q3 2019, but it’s not clear if that’s for developer kits or a consumer version. Dev kits were initially rumoured to be going out earlier this year but that doesn’t seem to have happened with HTC saying: “they are a bit on a different schedule than the one announced at CES” due to improving the headset.

Another bit of interesting information was connection options. HTC Vive Cosmos isn’t an all-in-one device, while the first announcement did tease some sort of smartphone connection capability, HTC did stress that Vive Cosmos is a PC-tethered device with inside-out tracking – so more like Oculus Rift S. The Vive Cosmos will connect to PC’s via DisplayPort but when Vitillo asked about the new VirtualLink protocol that also got a positive response. Of course, no further details were given regarding how both options would work.

HTC Vive Cosmos

And just to round things off, even though Vive Cosmos is a cabled headset it will also get a wireless adapter, whether it’s the same as the current Vive Wireless Adapter wasn’t revealed.

When HTC does decide to unveil further information regarding Vive Cosmos VRFocus will let you know.

May 22, 2019

Vive Cosmos Expected to Launch in Q3

With a flurry of new headsets hitting the market, news about the next consumer headset from one of VR’s leading players, HTC, has been notably absent. Though pricing and a release date for Vive Cosmos hasn’t been revealed in full just yet, the company recently indicated that it expects to launch in Q3.

HTC revealed Vive Cosmos back in January, but wasn’t ready to say much about it, let alone let anyone actually try it. It’s been five months since then, but the company still hasn’t revealed even basic info about the headset like resolution, field of view, weight, price, or release date. And while we know that the headset will be compatible with PCs, the company has also teased that it will be able to plug into a smartphone, but has yet to offer details on how that will work.

Back at the initial reveal in January, HTC said that it planned to first offer Vive Cosmos dev kits in “early 2019,” and that the finished headset would launch later in the year. To our knowledge, dev kits have yet to be made available.