MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
HTC has announced pricing and availability information for its Vive Tracker and Vive Deluxe Audio Strap accessories it unveiled at CES.
The Vive Tracker, which can track additional accessories in VR to make experiences more immersive, will be available for developer purchase on March 27th for 99.99, while general consumer availability is expected later this year once the content and accessories are ready for public consumption.
The Deluxe Audio Strap, meanwhile, will go on sale for pre-order on May 2nd, with expected delivery in June, and will also cost 99.99.
ORIGINAL STORY (January 5th): HTC has announced three new accessories for its Vive virtual reality headset. Unveiled yesterday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the Vive Tracker and Vive Deluxe Audio Strap have been designed to make HTC’s virtual reality experience even more immersive, while the TPCast adaptor will allow commercial headsets to go completely wireless.
Launching in Q2 2017, the 85g Vive Tracker is a small, palm-sized device that allows developers to track new form factors in VR. It will form the foundation of a number of new Vive accessories, and HTC showed off at least eight different integrations at its CES press conference, including the world’s first VR camera, different rifles in VR shooters, haptic VR gloves and training applications for Major League Baseball players and professional firefighters. Up to 1,000 developers will also be able to apply for one for free later this year.
To foster the long-term growth of VR, we want to make it even easier for developers to prototype and market more immersive controllers and accessories,” said Vive’s US and EMEA general manager Daniel O’Brien.
The Vive Tracker is the first step in growing an ecosystem of third-party accessories that will change how we interact with virtual experiences and provide consumers and businesses with an unlimited amount of content opportunities.”
Meanwhile, the Vive Deluxe Audio Strap will bring 360 degree VR audio to HTC’s headset. The headstrap has built-in, adjustable headphones and a customizable sizing dial for easy fitting. The Deluxe Audio Strap will also ship in Q2 of this year, with pricing being announced at a later date.
We’ve continuously improved the core Vive experience, making it more comfortable and easier to use,” said O’Brien. The Deluxe Audio Strap evolves this mission further, offering a seamless audio solution that also fits more comfortably for Vive users.”
Last but not least, HTC also announced that its wireless TPCast adaptor should begin shipping in Q2 this year to commercial customers. Born out of its Vive X accelerator program, the TPCast has a battery life of 90 minutes and a latency of just 2ms, allowing users to experience VR completely wire-free. This will cost $249, but an XL version with a five-hour battery life will also be available at a later date.
"We’re very happy to work closely with Vive to create a tether-less upgrade kit for the Vive as part of the Vive X program,” said TPCast CEO Michael Liu. Wireless VR enabled by TPCast technology will provide a new level of freedom and open up even more immersive experiences to Vive users world wide.”
