News of HTC VIVE’s latest headset, the VIVE Flow, was leaked in a Twitter post on Tuesday and received mixed signals from commenters on social media.
User @evleaks posted the photos of the new mixed reality (MR) headset, which is set to launch on October 15 for pre-orders and shipments in November, according to reports.
Miss me, @HTC? pic.twitter.com/hB7iPLLCHk
— E (@evleaks) October 12, 2021
Protocol’s report on the upcoming headset on Wednesday showed developers had originally titled the consumer-level VIVE Flow “Hue”, which the Bluetooth SIG consortium described as an all-in-one VR headset that would not require tethering to other devices such as mobiles, tablets, and PCs.
The VIVE Flow will reportedly function as a consumer media and gaming device, but includes lower processing power than Facebook’s Oculus Quest 2, Pro.
It added the Taoyuan City-based firm had been working on Viveport Verse, a Metaverse service providing interoperable access across VR devices, mobiles, PCs, and other devices to develop content, attend online events, and meet other users in virtual spaces.
According to the leaked images, the device will also include a face cushion, spatial audio, lenses that adjust to a user’s eye spacing, an air-conditioning system, among other features.
The device will also reportedly cost $499 USD, compared to the Quest 2’s $299, and comes with a carrying case and VR content.
The news comes after the VR tech giant began taking preorders in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada for its full kit version of the VIVE Pro 2, an MR headset with base stations and controllers.
