Category: vive flow

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Facebook’s Future CTO Teases New Slim VR ‘Concept’ Prototype

Facebook’s future chief technology officer and current head of virtual reality Andrew Bosworth teased a slim VR headset concept prototype less than a day before HTC is set to reveal a new VR product.

The leaks have been steady from HTC ahead of an announcement for the super slim Vive Flow VR headset reportedly priced at $499. Facebook, meanwhile, set expectations of focusing its VR efforts around the $299 Oculus Quest 2 this holiday season.

Bosworth (aka “Boz”) tweeted the image below on Wednesday with text referring to Facebook Reality Labs researchers working in Redmond, Washington led by former Valve researcher Michael Abrash. Bosworth wrote:

“Proud of the research Michael Abrash’s team is working on at FRL-R Redmond—excited to get an early look at some of the technologies that will underpin the metaverse (we work on several prototype headsets to prove out concepts, this is one of them. Kind of. It’s a long story.)

andrew bosworth arbrash tease

HTC’s China President Alvin Wang Graylin replied “Hey Boz, Nice looking research project. Want to trade for a production quality device hot out of our factory?”

While we’ve seen a number of very slim VR prototypes over the years, only Huawei has yet shipped to consumers – and only in China. The slimmer approach to VR optics sees major advancements in terms of being lighter weight and more comfortable, but some designs may have other drawbacks. Some smartglasses designs, for example, tether by wire to an external computing phone or processing puck to further the weight reduction. The approach can bring over some of your content or apps from another device like your phone, but it also introduces a bothersome wire to the experience. In addition, input on this class of device is not yet standardized so while it might be a good fit for consuming flat-screen content wherever you are on a big virtual screen, you’re unlikely to enjoy any of the highest-selling VR games on such a device.

We can’t wait to see what HTC reveals and hope to get more details about this Facebook prototype headset.

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HTC Vive Flow Leak Unveils Design and $499 Price

HTC Vive Flow

Leaks are part of the course in the tech industry with some companies fairing worse than others. Tomorrow sees HTC Vive host a special event to unveil a new device its been dropping hints for the past week or so. But that secret may be out the bag with a new leak offering up a selection of images, pre-order details and a price.

HTC Vive Flow

Any leak of this type should always be taken with a pinch of salt regarding validity. The details come from Twitter account @evleaks which is synonymous with this type of information drop having previously released pictures of Facebook’s Ray-Ban Stories smartglasses ahead of their official unveiling. So there’s a fairly good chance all of today’s leak is correct.

Offering up images of some slim-looking glasses that definitely have similarities with HTC Vive’s Project Proton concept, the Vive Flow will seemingly be for “well-being and mindful productivity”. So rather than a new type of VR headset, this will be a phone connected device to watch videos or compatible apps. Sounds a bit odd doesn’t it? Plus there are no controllers mentioned, there are what look to be lenses on the front which could offer a range of functionality. According to a recent Protocol report, it’ll have 6DoF tracking and no controllers as the device won’t be geared towards gaming.

The Vive Flow will supposedly have a “Dual-hinge fit system” to accommodate most heads, in-built spatial audio so there’s no need for headphones and an active cooling system that should make long viewing sessions comfortable. There will also be adjustable diopter lenses supporting up to -6.0D and the ability to Miracast from your phone.

HTC Vive Flow

All of this will reportedly retail for $499 USD with pre-orders opening on 15th October – the day after the HTC Vive event. If you pre-order, you’ll get that carry case HTC Vive has been putting in all its promotional images, “7 free VR contents [sic],” and two months of Infinity Vista, likely a new iteration of the Viveport Infinity service.

HTC Vive should be confirming all of this and hopefully more tomorrow at 4pm BST. When that happens VRFocus will keep you posted.

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Apparent Leak Unveils HTC Vive Flow, Including Price & Pre-order Date

An apparent leak in HTC’s marketing material has revealed images of the upcoming Vive Flow VR headset ahead of its October 14th unveiling. The headset, which is rumored to target consumers with a casual approach to media consumption, is reportedly priced at $500, and said to begin pre-orders on October 15th.

Serial leaker ‘evleaks’ released a trove of images last night which reveal much about Vive Flow, although not every answer to all of the burning questions. We haven’t substantiated the images below, although they appear to be authentic given how they match up with the progressive teases HTC has done over the past two weeks.

It appears Vive Flow has onboard processing as stipulated in earlier reports, making it fundamentally a standalone headset.

Image courtesy evleaks

Here’s a look inside behind Vive Flow’s mirrored faceplate, which shows two optical sensors, ostensibly used for 6DOF positional tracking. If earlier reports can be believed, this may also include hand-tracking capabilities. No motion controller is seen in marketing info, and it was previously reported by Protocol that hand-tracking would be the headset’s main input method.

Image courtesy evleaks

As a side note, that Protocol report also maintained Flow’s onboard chipset would be less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 found in Oculus Quest 2 and Vive Focus 3.

While active cooling is present, from the images it’s not clear where onboard power is supposed to fit in the whole package. On the right temple arm of the headset you can see a cable trailing off, which appears to be a USB Type-C port, possibly for external power.

Image courtesy evleaks

A top-down image showing off its snap-on facial interface reveals how thin the display and optics really are, something we’ve stipulated may be thanks to the inclusion of ‘pancake’ lenses like we saw on Pico’s VR glasses prototype at CES 2020. These typically shorten the distance between display and optics at some reduction of field of view.

Image courtesy evleaks

The only look we get directly at the lenses reveals it has built-in diopter settings, so near-sighted people can use the close-fitting headset without glasses. Dual diopter dials appear to show up to a -6.0 diopter focusing power.

Image courtesy evleaks

It’s still not clear what HTC is hiding with the cable. The marketing material shows phones that notably aren’t tethered to the headset physically, and are instead connected via Bluetooth.

Image courtesy evleaks

Some of the mystery of input seems to be revealed in the image below, which maintains that a user’s phone can be used as a VR controller. This would likely be 3DOF input only.

Image courtesy evleaks

In fact, a large set of lifestyle photos position Vive Flow as a consumer headset that’s focusing on casual media consumption, and possibly productivity as well.

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With the tagline “Designed to fit into your life,” Vive Flow is definitely playing to its compact form-factor, positioning it as a good on-the-go solution for media consumption.

Image courtesy evleaks

The thermos-style carrying case is said to come as a free gift when pre-ordered, which is said to start on October 15th, with shipments said to come in early November. The MSRP of $499 USD is also said to get you seven free VR apps and two months of a service called ‘Infinity Vista’, which sounds like it may be a tuned-down version of Viveport Infinity for the standalone device.

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There’s still plenty to learn about Vive Flow. We’ll be watching on October 14th for HTC’s Vive Flow event to see what gaps they can fill in. We’re still waiting to hear about specs and what other capabilities it may have, which may better justify its $500 price tag to consumers.

The post Apparent Leak Unveils HTC Vive Flow, Including Price & Pre-order Date appeared first on Road to VR.

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Supposed HTC Vive Flow Leaks Show Ultra-Slim $499 VR Headset

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.

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Report: Vive Flow is a Consumer VR Standalone with Heavy Emphasis on Hand-tracking

HTC is serial-teasing its next VR headset again, this time hyping the reveal of Vive Flow, which is reportedly a slim and light 6DOF standalone focused on media consumption, casual gaming, and VR experiences.

New information reported by Protocol ahead of its October 14th reveal holds that HTC will be likely targeting consumers with the new lightweight Vive Flow headset, something that is said to contain a chipset less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 found in Quest 2 and Vive Focus 3.

Reportedly developed under the code name “Hue,” Protocol maintains it will also ship without motion controllers, instead relying primarily on its built-in hand-tracking to control apps and casual VR games.

HTC also released and new hype video on its Instagram, showing a quick flash of Flow’s hardware.

There’s not much to tell from the eight-second video, however it appears the headset’s temples can articulate, which suggests they may fold to some degree. We’ve seen similar hinges and on the Vive Proton prototype standalone first revealed in February 2020, although we’ve never seen it in action.

A thermos-like container previously seen in other marketing images would suggest Vive Flow can be stored in the carrying case though, which may mean it can cinch down into a fairly compact form-factor.

Image courtesy HTC

Light and casual VR media consumption used to be Facebook’s modus operandi with 3DOF headsets Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Go, but has since shifted focus to building out its gaming-focused Quest platform in the recent years. This may have left a niche HTC is looking to exploit with Vive Flow.

Should all of the above prove true when it’s revealed on October 14th, the entrance of Vive Flow could signal HTC’s return to consumer VR—provided it has a suitably consumer-friendly price to match, which hasn’t been the company’s strong suit.

The company has since shied away from directly targeting consumers outside of Asia like Facebook has done with its $300 standalone Quest 2, instead focusing on enterprise and prosumer segments with its latest VR hardware, such as the $1,300 standalone Vive Focus 3 and its $800 Vive Pro 2 PC VR headset.

HTC may also be banking on integration with a rumored social VR service called ‘Viveport Verse’, which sounds like the company’s own stab at building out its own metaverse platform. Companies such as Epic Games, Facebook, and Immersive VR Education’s platform ENGAGE have each already invested cash in the millions to ostensibly build out their own platforms with interconnected services.

The post Report: Vive Flow is a Consumer VR Standalone with Heavy Emphasis on Hand-tracking appeared first on Road to VR.

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See the First Teasing Glimpse of HTC Vive Flow

HTC Vive Flow

The HTC Vive “Go with the Flow” event is only a couple of days away and so naturally, the company is ramping up the hints regarding what’s going to be shown. While there have been plenty of images displaying what looks like a case, over on HTC Vive’s Instagram the first teasing video has just arrived.

It’s certainly very short and sweet coming in at only a few seconds but it is the best hint yet. There’s not much to go on as you might expect yet you’ll notice the distinct addition of black fabric around the main body. Also noticeable, what seem to be the arms with the Vive logo down the side are hyper extendable, a feature normally seen on sunglasses but not immersive hardware.

Another strong hint at the design came in a couple of new images (one seen below), very reminiscent of HTC’s Project Proton concept that was unveiled in early 2020, “Project Proton is a prototype of a future XR glasses-style device,” HTC said at the time. That concept was actually two devices. One was an all-in-one (AIO) headset with front-facing cameras and a battery housed at the back of the head strap. The other was a more lightweight design that could tether to a PC or phone. Nothing was been heard of either of them since that initial announcement.

It’s already been a big year for HTC Vive with the launch of the Vive Pro 2 and the Vive Focus 3, two headsets aimed at different sectors of the market. Vive Pro 2 is a tethered PC headset focused at the pro-consumer end of the market whilst Vive Focus 3 is an AIO just for enterprise customers. As a report indicated last week, this new device could very well be HTC Vive’s first AIO designed for regular consumers.

The report highlighted recent FCC filings that referred to a “Vive headset” with features including WiFi, Bluetooth, and lithium-ion battery.

The official reveal takes place this Thursday, 14th October at 4 pm BST (11 am EDT) over on vive.com. The special event will also be held in VR on the Engage platform. For further updates on this new device keep reading VRFocus.

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HTC Teases First Look At Vive Flow With New Video

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!

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HTC’s “Vive Flow” Could be a New AIO Reports Suggest

HTC Vive Flow

At the end of September, HTC Vive began teasing an upcoming online event for 14th October called “Go with the Flow”, hinting at a new hardware launch with images that look like a case of some sort. Over the past week, new details have emerged that a device called Vive Flow will be announced, with the latest info suggesting it could be a standalone headset.

Much in the same way it did earlier this year prior to the launch of Vive Pro 2 and Vive Focus 3, HTC Vive has been dropping images on social media. Then recent trademark filings offered up that possible name Vive Flow alongside a goods and services statement indicating a: “Head mounted display for computer simulated reality, namely virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality”.

No major surprise considering its HTC Vive. However, as spotted by Road to VR, recent US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filings add further credence to those initial findings with a report for an HTC Vive headset. FCC certification is required for all wireless devices (WiFi, Radio, Bluetooth) to prove they’re safe to use. Most of the details remain confidential but there are a few teasing snippets to dig into.

All electronic devices of this nature require an FCC label, in this instance an “e-label” just like the Vive Focus 3, indicating a model number 2Q7Y100. This crops up again in several test reports, one indicating Bluetooth integration and rechargeable lithium-ion battery while another shows the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) testing that took place.

HTC Vive Flow spec1

Considering the WiFi functionality and the fact that HTC Vive own images showcase a rather small looking case, the announcement next week could very well be a rather small all-in-one (AIO) VR consumer device or possibly the company’s first foray into AR glasses? With the likes of Facebook and Ray-Ban’s recent collab, it wouldn’t be unthinkable that smartglasses were on HTC Vive’s roadmap.

As HTC China President Alvin Wang Graylin tweeted, expect to: “hear about some big news in a small package” when the news does arrive. For continued updates, keep reading VRFocus.

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HTC Likely Announcing a New Standalone Vive Headset Next Week

HTC recently said that it will host an online Vive event next week, but has only teased minimal hints about what it plans to announce. Regulatory filings spotted by Road to VR suggest a new standalone HTC Vive headset will be revealed.

It’s been less than five months since HTC launched its most recent VR headsets—the Vive Pro 2 and Vive Focus 3—but it looks like they’ve got another up their sleeve.

Just ahead of next week’s HTC Vive event, a new “HTC Vive headset” has appeared in regulatory filings submitted by the company to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

The FCC is tasked with certifying products with electromagnetic emissions to be safe and compatible with regulations. Products utilizing radio, WiFi, infrared, etc. need certification before they can be distributed for sale. Certification by the FCC marks one step closer to the launch of consumer electronics product.

The new headset is identified by the model number 2Q7Y100, which doesn’t match any known Vive headsets thus released. Although the company has requested confidentiality of key filings which would clearly identify the headset, there’s some clues in the available information which point toward a standalone headset.

For one, the device’s FCC label—which all consumer electronics devices are required to have—is an ‘e-label’, which means instead of being printed on the device it’s accessible through the device’s software. Specifically, the user can access the FCC label by going to Settings → About → Regulatory Information. In fact, this is the same labeling approach that HTC’s Vive Focus 3 uses.

Further supporting the likelihood of this new Vive headset being standalone is documentation detailing Wi-Fi test reports which measure to ensure that the device’s Wi-Fi broadcasts are within the legal ranges. It appears the device uses a Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) radio. Most dedicated PC VR headsets use some form of Bluetooth for controller connectivity, but none of them use Wi-Fi.

HTC has kept its teasing for next week’s event pretty minimal thus far. The company has been using the phrase, “Go with the Flow,” (notable emphasis on “Flow” as a proper noun), in its promotions which have included photos with a cylindrical case of some sort. Ostensibly the headset will be small enough to fit inside the case, which would suggest a headset much more compact than most of what’s on the market today (if the scale of the photoshopped images can be trusted, anyway).

That certainly falls in line with the Vive Proton headsets that the company initially teased way back in early 2020; though they haven’t talked about them much since. If this new standalone is based on Proton, the headset seems likely to have been rebranded to Vive Flow, which the company trademarked in late August.

There’s also the possibility that Vive Flow won’t be a VR headset at all, but will actually be the company’s first AR headset based on Qualcomm’s ‘Smart Viewer’ reference design.

All will be revealed soon enough; HTC’s event will be held next week on October 14th.

The post HTC Likely Announcing a New Standalone Vive Headset Next Week appeared first on Road to VR.

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HTC Reveals More Vive Flow Teaser Images

HTC has revealed more teaser images ahead of its Vive Flow announcement later this month.

This time the images come from the October 14 announcement event’s website. They all feature the same cylinder object we saw in the first image earlier this week, sometimes turned on its side, sometimes with the lid on, sometimes off.

Vive Flow Teaser Image (2)

It certainly seems like this device could be a container of some sort – closer looks seem to suggest it’s hollow inside and the only image in which we see someone’s head is the one where the container is closed, presumably with the device stored inside (ie: not on the user’s head). Like last week’s laptop image, the popcorn image might also suggest the user can see the real world too.

Vive Flow Teaser Image (3)

It’s very possible that Vive Flow is the device that fits inside that container and, if that’s the case, we’re likely looking at some sort of lightweight wearable. It seems doubtful that HTC’s concept lightweight VR headset, Project Proton, would be ready for a container of this size, but perhaps we might see HTC’s own take on smartglasses or an AR device that links up to a smartphone, similar to the Nreal Light.

Vive Flow Teaser Image (1)

We found a Vive Flow trademark following the teaser earlier this week so the stars seem to be aligning. Would any new hardware from the company be another part of its enterprise efforts? Or could there be a consumer angle to it too? What do you think Vive Flow will be? Let us know in the comments below!

Vive Flow Teaser Image Meditation