The small and light VR headset is scheduled for a CES debut.
HTC has big plans for CES, which include revealing an all-in-one headset with virtual reality and augmented reality support. The company will formally show off the seemingly small and light headset for the first time on January 5th, but it provided The Verge with a render that shows a goggles-style design. The device, for which HTC has yet to announce a name, appears to have front- and side-facing cameras.
Those cameras will be a key part of HTC’s plan to deliver a full-color passthrough video feed. As with the Meta Quest Pro and the Pico 4, you’ll be able to see a colorized version of the physical world around you without having to remove the headset. This should also enable HTC to offer more immersive mixed-reality experiences than you’d get with black-and-white passthrough video. What’s more, the headset may offer a more dynamic range than rival models, which could enable wearers to more easily read text on computer or phone screens (at least without taking the headset off).
HTC says you’ll get two hours of use on a single charge, while the controllers will feature six degrees of freedom and hand tracking. The headset can operate as a standalone device or you can hook it up to a PC for more demanding VR games. You can also use it for exercise, entertainment and productivity, if you’re so inclined.
It’s not yet clear whether there’ll be built-in eye tracking, but there is a depth sensor that may enable more in-depth mapping of a user’s surroundings. HTC also indicated to The Verge that the headset will protect user privacy by storing data on an encrypted local partition. Pricing and availability are as yet unclear. We’ll find out more about the headset — including the name and how it might measure up against the likes of Meta Quest — in a few short weeks.
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