The supply chain slowdown due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) has affected a few notable VR companies, including Valve and Facebook with their respective flagship headsets. Now it seems HTC is experiencing similar issues with its upcoming SteamVR External Tracking Faceplate for its recently released PC VR headset, Vive Cosmos.
While HTC’s full Cosmos Elite package will be ready to ship by the original March 18th launch date, the platform’s first foray into modularity is taking a hit due to the coronavirus. HTC says availability of the External Tracking Faceplate will now be later than planned due to supply chain delays.
“We are taking every precaution to ensure that our employees and manufacturing partners are staying safe during this time,” the company told Road to VR. “We will continue to update you on timings, but we are still aiming for Q2 availability.”
With an all-in price tag of $900, Cosmos Elite includes the same fundamental specs of the base model, including a flip-up head-mount design, fresnel lenses, and 1,440 × 1,700 LCD displays with hardware IPD adjustment. However it also comes with two SteamVR 1.0 base stations, two Vive wand-style motion controllers and an External Tracking Faceplate, giving it access to Valve’s rock solid tracking standard.
Owners of the base model who aren’t so thrilled with its less than stellar inside-out optical tracking will simply have to wait for the $200 modular bit, which critically doesn’t include either the requisite base stations or motion controllers.
Last week HTC announced the full Vive Cosmos lineup which saw the introduction of three new variants which each use faceplates with different capabilities. Cosmos Elite, the high-end variant which uses SteamVR Tracking, opens for pre-orders as of today, with a release date of March 18th.
For the full breakdown of the Cosmos series, which now includes the Cosmos Play, Cosmos, Cosmos Elite, and Cosmos XR, see our reveal coverage here.
Like all of the Cosmos headsets, Cosmos Elite is built on the same core foundation, which means the same flip-up head-mount design, fresnel lenses, and 1,440 × 1,700 LCD displays with hardware IPD adjustment. But Cosmos Elite is designed to appeal to VR enthusiasts who want to leverage the power of SteamVR Tracking, the same Valve-made external tracking tech which has powered all of HTC’s PC VR headsets prior to Cosmos.
Image courtesy HTC
While Cosmos Elite is technically capable of the same level of inside-out tracking as other Cosmos headsets, the Elite comes with a unique faceplate which is covered in sensors that detect tracking signals from two external base stations. Though it doesn’t have the convenience of inside-out tracking, SteamVR Tracking is widely considered a gold-standard for VR tracking thanks to its speed, accuracy, coverage, and robustness to varying lighting conditions.
Since Cosmos Elite uses SteamVR Tracking, it doesn’t use the same controllers as the other Cosmos headsets; instead it uses the Vive wand controllers which launched with the original Vive.
Vive Cosmos Elite Price, Pre-orders, and Release Date
Priced at $900, Cosmos Elite includes the headset, two SteamVR Tracking 1.0 base tations (1.0), and two Vive wand controllers.
Buckle up, this one’s a doozy. HTC today introduced three new variants of its Vive Cosmos VR headset. Joining the original Cosmos is Cosmos Elite, Cosmos Play, and Cosmos XR. The four variants of the headset aim to cover a diverse set of customer interests.
After a bumpy launch for Vive Cosmos back in October 2019, and a new CEO taking the reins at HTC, the company is effectively relaunching Cosmos by introducing a series of Cosmos headsets which seek to appeal to a wide range of VR users from the novice to the high-end enthusiast and everywhere in-between.
Image courtesy HTC
Each Cosmos headset uses the same foundation as the original—which means the same flip-up head-mount design, fresnel lenses, and 1,440 × 1,700 LCD displays with hardware IPD adjustment—but the variants take advantage of the headset’s interchangeable faceplate to offer different capabilities. To help make sense of all of this, here’s a quick outline first, with more details further down.
Cosmos Play is HTC’s entry-level VR offering which has four cameras for inside-out tracking, and the same controllers as the original Cosmos. From photos it appears the Play will not include integrated audio, but instead provide a 3.5mm headphone jack for users to plug in their own headphones.
With less tracking coverage than the original Cosmos (which has six cameras), HTC is positioning the Cosmos Play as ideal for casual VR experiences. The company also calls the headset an entry-point into VR because users can choose to upgrade it in the future with faceplates from the other Cosmos variants.
HTC plans to offer the Cosmos Play for $500, though a release date hasn’t been announced.
Vive Cosmos
Image courtesy HTC
This is the original Cosmos as it launched back in October; its faceplate adds two additional cameras over the Play (for a total of six) which increase inside-out tracking coverage (specifically, more vertical coverage), and it will continue to use the same controllers that it launched with.
HTC will continue to offer Cosmos at the same $700 price point that it established at launch.
The Cosmos faceplate (with the two extra cameras) will become available as a separate accessory in Q2 for $200; it’ll be able to attach to any of the other Cosmos variants.
Vive Cosmos Elite
Image courtesy HTC
Vive Cosmos Elite is targeted directly at the enthusiast crowd and comes equipped with a SteamVR Tracking faceplate and includes two Vive wand controllers and two tracking base stations.
SteamVR Tracking is the same tracking technology used in the original Vive. Though it requires external base stations to function, SteamVR Tracking is considered a gold-standard of VR tracking for its precision and accuracy, which makes it an appealing choice for VR enthusiasts who don’t mind mounting tracking hardware around their room.
What many enthusiasts will mind, however, is the necessary inclusion of the Vive wand controllers with the Cosmos Elite. Though they track well thanks to SteamVR Tracking, the Vive wands are widely considered last-gen VR controllers due to their use of a trackpad and grab button. More recent VR controllers have coalesced around thumbsticks (rather than trackpads) and grab triggers or pressure-sensitive grab handles (rather than grab buttons); even HTC’s own Cosmos controllers have thumbsticks and grab triggers.
Cosmos Elite will be available in Q1 and priced at $900—which puts it in direct competition with the company’s own Vive Pro ($900) and Valve’s Index ($1,000). Pre-orders for Cosmos Elite will start next week on February 24th.
Image courtesy HTC
HTC plans to offer the Cosmos SteamVR Tracking faceplate (which the company calls the ‘External Tracking Faceplate’) as a standalone accessory which can attach to any of the other Cosmos headsets. That creates a path for any other Cosmos headset to be upgraded into the SteamVR Tracking ecosystem… but you’ll still need to shell out for separate base stations and controllers.
Ostensibly one could buy Cosmos Play at $500 and the External Tracking Faceplate for $200, making a Cosmos Elite for $700 (sans base stations and controllers). HTC also says Cosmos Elite will support outside-in tracking just like the other Cosmos headsets, but you’d need to pick up a pair of the Cosmos controllers for input. A bit convoluted, perhaps—but hey—that’s Cosmos’ modularity in action, right?
Vive Cosmos XR
Image courtesy HTC
Vive Cosmos XR will launch as a developer-focused headset aimed at pass-through augmented reality. Pass-through augmented reality uses cameras to show the outside world inside of the headset and then projects virtual imagery into the feed of the real world; the headset will be able to do pure VR too.
Though all Cosmos headsets support a pass-through video view, the Cosmos XR comes equipped with its own special faceplate that adds two more front-facing cameras to the headset which bring a higher quality and wider field of view pass-through feed than the cameras built into the core Cosmos headset, HTC says.
Image courtesy HTC
However, the HQ pass-through cameras on the Cosmos XR faceplate appear to be positioned below the user’s eye-line which may make for an odd perspective unless HTC is doing some computer-vision trickery to adjust the view.
HTC says Cosmos XR will launch in Q2 as a developer kit; pricing has not been announced, but the company promises to share more at GDC next month.
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So there you have it. The complete Vive Cosmos lineup, and HTC’s vision for an ecosystem of modular VR headsets. How does it all stack up to other headset options on the market? Let us know what you think in the comments.
When HTC announced its Vive Cosmos headset at CES 2019 one of the main features touted was the modular front faceplate, the idea behind it being future versatility depending on customers needs. Today, the company has officially unveiled three faceplates as well as hardware options to arrive in the next few months.
HTC Vive Cosmos Elite
Now dubbed the Vive Cosmos Series, in addition to the standard Vive Cosmos which has been available to purchase since October 2019 for £699 GBP the family of headsets will soon include the Vive Cosmos Elite, Cosmos XR, and Cosmos Play. Each one is aimed at a different demographic, from the entry-level consumer up to enterprise use cases.
“Our customers want an incredible VR experience and we are proud to announce a new family of products tailor-made for VR use-cases of all types,” said Yves Maître, CEO, HTC in a statement. “Vive Cosmos is truly the most versatile headset yet. From consumers just discovering VR for the first time to the demanding business user, Vive Cosmos offers stellar quality, comfort, and the ability to evolve VR and XR journeys over time – from changing faceplates to adding options like wireless.”
While their functionality might be slightly different all three designs still feature Vive Cosmos’ core specifications, a combined resolution of 2880×1770 (1440×1700 per-eye) using an LCD display, a hinged front to easily drop in and out of VR, inside-out tracking and 6DoF motion controllers.
Vive Cosmos Elite
First up is the Vive Cosmos Elite which provides both inside-out and external tracking capabilities. Compatible with SteamVR lighthouse base stations (v1.0 & v2.0) the design removes two of the standard Vive Cosmos tracking cameras whilst support Vive’s ecosystem of peripherals including the Vive Tracker.
The device will be available both full kit and front faceplate options. The Vive Cosmos Elite bundle will retail for $899 USD, supplied with the External Tracking Faceplate, 2 SteamVR base stations, and two Vive controllers, made available later in Q1 2020. If you already own the Vive Cosmos then the External Tracking Faceplate will be offered as a stand-alone accessory in Q2 for $199.
HTC Vive Cosmos XR
Vive Cosmos XR
The Vive Cosmos XR, on the other hand, will be for mixed reality (MR) use cases, likely geared towards enterprise applications. Looking like some multi-eyed alien, the design features four cameras for inside-out tracking plus two new pass-through cameras.
HTC states that these allow “a near-complete passthrough field of view that utilizes the majority of the VR display,” offering up to a 100-degree field of view (FoV). That would be a marked improvement over other XR headsets like Microsoft HoloLens or Majic Leap 1.
Like the Vive Cosmos Elite the Vive Cosmos XR will be available in both headset bundle and single faceplate versions depending on whether customers own the system or not. No prices may yet been made available for either, with a developer kit set to be released in Q2 2020.
Vive Cosmos Play
Finally, there’s the baby of the bunch, the Vive Cosmos Play. This is squarely aimed at introducing VR to new customers. The design is a stripped-back model with only four inside-out tracking cameras and no external headphones.
Said to offer a more affordable option not only for the general public but also for business or museum environments looking at putting on public VR experiences, a price for the Vive Cosmos Play hasn’t been announced.
From the sounds of it (possibly due to the reduced tracking capabilities), HTC Vive suggests the Vive Cosmos Play is ideally suited to entry-level VR experiences, listing in the press release Viveport Video, Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs, The Curious Tale of the Stolen Pets, and A Fisherman’s Tale. Slightly unusual and begging the question as to how it would fair with more advanced titles.
HTC Vive Cosmos Play
When all of these headset bundles and faceplates are finally out that’s going to make for quite the product lineup. To begin with, the Vive Cosmos Elite will be available for pre-order online from 24th February. As further updates on the Vive Cosmos Series are released, VRFocus will let you know.
