One of the problems with some of today’s virtual reality (VR) headsets is that they are required to be tethered to either a computer or a console, like the PlayStation 4. This does limit mobility in terms of actually moving around the room, and also taking the headset with you on the go, which is why it was exciting to hear that HTC might have a standalone headset in the works.
It was then suggested that the headset could be announced on the 14th of November, and sure enough it looks like the reports were true as HTC has officially announced their latest standalone VR headset – the HTC Vive Focus. According to HTC, “Vive Focus offers enhanced comfort for extended use, easy on-off capabilities, and is the first commercial standalone device to deliver inside-out 6-degree-of-freedom tracking (6DoF) which Vive calls “world-scale”.”
The headset will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chipset and will utilize HTC’s Vive Wave VR open platform, which is a new VR platform announced by HTC and will see twelve hardware partners in China take advantage of it by integrating it into future products. Unfortunately it seems that for now, the HTC Vive Focus will be focused (pun unintended) on the Chinese market.
There is no word on whether HTC will bring the Vive Focus to other markets, and if you remember HTC initially had plans for a Daydream version of the HTC Vive Focus intended for Western markets, but HTC has since confirmed that those plans have been scrapped.