Taiwanese consumer electronics company HTC Corp (宏達電) on Thursday made a leap in its development of virtual reality (VR) devices when it unveiled its latest Vive Flow immersive glasses.
The lightweight portable device allows users to watch TV programs and movies on a full-size VR cinema screen, engage in brain training exercises and interact with other people, HTC said in an online news conference.
Consumers can also use the glasses to meditate by connecting with an app, the company said in the news conference broadcast in Taiwan, New York, Los Angeles and London.
Photo: Wu Pei-hua, Taipei Times
The device creates an ideal ambience for people who wish to maintain wellness and calm their minds, HTC chief executive and chairwoman Cher Wang (王雪紅) said.
“With Vive Flow, HTC is taking technology in a new direction, focusing not on what we do, but on how we feel,” she said.
The Vive Flow has an expansive 100-degree field of vision, 3.2K resolution, a 75 Hertz refresh rate and full 3D spatial audio that can also connect to external Bluetooth earphones, HTC said.
Weighing 189g, the glasses have built-in diopter dials, which allow the user to adjustment for clear visuals, and an active cooling system that pulls warm air away from the wearer’s face, the company said.
The device is to go on sale next month with a starting price of NT$14,990 (US$534.84), it said.
Since the Taiwanese company began expanding its product line beyond smartphones in 2015, demand has been growing for its VR gadgets, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic triggered lockdowns globally.
HTC entered the VR market with its first headset, the HTC Vive, in 2016, citing a need to mitigate the impact of escalating competition in the global smartphone market.
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