SHENZHEN, China, May 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- HTC Corporation
("HTC"), a pioneer in innovative, smart mobile and
virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies, today held its
annual VIVE™ Ecosystem Conference (VEC2018), where it announced and
demonstrated innovative advancements that show the converging of
its smartphone and VR/AR businesses. The newly announced HTC U12+ flagship phone when combined with
the VIVE FOCUS™ System Update 2.0
enabled seamless integration between mobile and immersive device.
The event also announced a number of strategic partnerships across
multiple industries. HTC is reinforcing its stated vision of Vive
Reality by integrating the benefits of VR, AR, 5G and AI
technologies into a new combined ecosystem, and welcoming partners
from around the world to work together to realize it.
Vive Focus System Update 2.0 released
In the new System Update 2.0 released today, Vive Focus users
are now able to receive messages, social notifications and take
calls on their HTC smartphones without taking off their headset.
This allows users to stay in touch with the outside world while
immersed in VR. By updating its built-in Vive companion app, HTC
U12+ users will be able to explore the first-hand experience of
those integrated features, and the upgraded Vive companion app will
be available in both HTC official app store and Tencent app store shortly, for all users to
enable their HTC smartphones to connect with Vive Focus and PC
based Vive devices.
To support the need for users to operate the device in moving
vehicles, a new "Passenger Mode" is part of the system update
optimized for seated VR experience or watch movies for up to four
hours (originally three) without tracking constraints. With a
double-click of the power button, users can activate the all new
"Surroundings Mode", to browse the space around them without taking
off the headset. In addition, this update enables the ability to
install applications directly to their microSD card (up to 2TB), so
users will never need to worry about running out of storage for
their favorite applications. What's more, VIVEPORT™ M global
account on the Vive Focus now supports payments from major credit
cards, allowing users anywhere in the world to purchase premium
applications for the device.
Moreover, HTC has empowered the Vive Focus standalone with a
host of additional innovative coming features that will enable a
superior user experience. HTC demonstrated multiple applications
utilizing its light gesture recognition SDK for the Vive Focus
giving developers the ability to bring both hands into VR
applications. This gesture SDK will be released to registered
Viveport developers in the coming weeks. Additionally, HTC teased
the ability to upgrade Vive Focus' current 3 degree of freedom
(3DoF) controller to behave like 6DoF controller without the needs
for any additional hardware by leveraging the device's existing
front facing cameras and its proprietary AI computer vision
technology. Also highlighted in its preview video, was the ability
to stream phone screen content from the HTC U12+ to the Vive Focus
enabling millions of existing mobile applications, games and video
content to be enjoyed on a super-size screen vs. a 6" one.
For Vive Focus users who want to access a richer library of
premium VR applications at home, HTC demonstrated the ability for
PC VR content from Viveport or Steam to wirelessly stream to the
Vive Focus via a 5GHz Wi-Fi network. This is enabled by an
optimized version of the Riftcat VRidge application that takes
advantage of the higher resolution and refresh rate of the Vive
Focus which can be downloaded on the Viveport M store today. Vive
Focus users can now enjoy a library of hundreds of supported
premium VR titles without any wires and without any special
accessories. Users will be able to operate the PC VR applications
interface either by using the standard Vive Focus controller or
Xbox controller and third party controllers paired to the host
PC.
"VEC2018 marks the beginning of a new chapter for HTC as we
combine our heritage of innovation in the mobile sector with our
industry leadership in the VR/AR field." said Alvin Wang Graylin, China President, HTC. "The breadth and depth of
innovation demonstrated here today is a clear sign of our
commitment to the industry and our many partners in building a new
ecosystem around the Vive Reality pillars of VR, AR, AI and 5G. The
new capabilities and experiences highlighted in the event today are
solving some of the biggest concerns in the market about the VR/AR
industry marking a clear step forward to increasing adoption to the
masses."
Building a sustainable and expandable new ecosystem
Since the launch of the VIVE WAVE™ VR open platform last
November where 12 hardware partners pledged support for the new
platform, Vive Wave enabled devices have started to come to market.
Among them, Pico, iQIYI and Skyworth endorsed Vive Wave by
embedding it in their newly released and upcoming products. HTC is
committed to uniting the fragmented mobile VR market in
China and bringing even more high
quality devices and content to all segments of the market.
Other than empowering the hardware market landscape, HTC is also
making efforts in content developing to expand the new ecosystem.
The Oasis Beta VR application currently available on Viveport is a
scalable world with numerous exciting content inside. HTC disclosed
it will soon be adding a full function "Avatar Creator" and "Social
Area" enabling limitless possibilities to customize users' own
avatars and added fun of going together to the Oasis to meet people
from around the world. HTC is calling on developers around the
globe to join "The Oasis Expansion" program and submit their
applications for future inclusion in the world of Oasis Beta.
HTC's affiliate company, Vivedu, also showcased the potential
for VR to improve education by launching its collaborative "Vive
Focus Classroom". This integrated VR classroom solution supports up
to a hundred simultaneous students in a shared VR classroom using
the Vive Focus. The students can be located in the same physical
space or join classes remotely. Virtual reality enhanced teaching
combined with distanced learning enabled in a multi-user shared
virtual environment can take the concept of immersive education to
a new level.
Forming strategic partnerships to drive mass adoption for
VR/AR
At VEC, a new partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB), the
professional American baseball league, was announced onstage to
kick off a series of collaborations in China, including the Baseball Park roadshow
across more than 10 major cities and the "Perfect Pitch" reality TV
show on the Tencent video network.
Baseball has recently emerged to become a growing sport trend for
post-millennials in China. MLB has
found that VR helps both to increase popular interest for the sport
amongst this audience and is a great training tool to help youth
improve their skills.
"We are proud of this exciting new partnership with HTC that
will bring virtual reality technology to two important MLB fan
engagement initiatives in China,"
said Jim Small, MLB Vice President,
Asia Pacific. "This cooperation
provides MLB with important support to grow the game in
China and it delivers an exciting
new way for fans to enjoy MLB action."
To continue the sports theme, HTC also announced a
long-term strategic partnership with the world-famous Formula
One (F1) team McLaren, to jointly produce VR
products and VR/AR content targeted at bringing a new level of
spectatorship and participation to the enormous 500
million plus F1 fan base. The two companies will also
work together on the world's first VR eSports competition linked to
a real professional sport. HTC will be the official VR partner of
McLaren's eSports competition, where McLaren will search the world
for people who will ultimately become part of the McLaren racing
team. China is one of the largest markets for McLaren car sales and
is also the largest eSports market globally.
Zak Brown, Chief Executive of
McLaren Racing, commented: "This is a tremendously exciting
partnership for McLaren and HTC. Innovation sits at the heart of
both our brands and our collaboration will enable F1 fans of today
and tomorrow around the world to become more immersed and engaged
in this incredible sport. As McLaren continues to develop its
eSports program, HTC will help us build on and accelerate our early
adoption of this platform."
Last but not least, HTC announced a partnership with Seagate,
the world's leading storage solutions provider, to bring the
world's first accessory device to provide both extra battery life
and massive media storage designed for VR devices. The Seagate 'VR
Power Drive' has been optimized to plug and play with the Vive
Focus. It will allow users to bring thousands of hours of video or
music, while nearly doubling the battery life of the Vive Focus.
The device is also compatible with the U12+ and comes with easy to
use backup software, so users won't have to worry about losing
their data again. The device will ship in Q3 this year.
"We have been working together and committed to jointly
developing solutions for VR devices since our partnership
established. Today, we are delighted that we have devised the
Seagate VR Power Drive, which is tailored to the Vive Focus, by
applying Seagate's unique storage expertise to meet Vive Focus
users' increasing needs for data." said Jim
Murphy, executive vice president, worldwide sales &
marketing, Seagate Technology. "In the years to come, we will
continue to cooperate with HTC, and further optimize storage
solutions according to the characteristics of VR applications to
better meet the special data needs of the Vive products and bring
Vive users the optimal experience at home or on the road."
Vive Focus System Update 2.0 can be downloaded on all Vive Focus
devices today, and further updates are expected to release in Q3.
The Vive Wave, Vive Focus and Vive Pro SRWorks developer SDKs
are all available for download on the Vive Developer website at
vivedeveloper.com for all registered Viveport developers.
For videos and photos, please kindly visit:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=13ms25qF2QKqbGhEQKUA1rHjxOimQrbej.
About HTC
HTC Corporation aims to bring brilliance to life. As a global
innovator in smart mobile and virtual reality devices and
technology, HTC has produced award-winning products and industry
firsts since its inception in 1997, including the critically
acclaimed HTC U and Desire lines of smartphones, and is now leading
the VR industry with the Vive line of products. The pursuit of
brilliance is at the heart of everything we do, inspiring
best-in-class design and game-changing mobile and virtual reality
experiences for consumers around the world. HTC is listed on the
Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE: 2498). www.htc.com
About Vive
Vive, a subsidiary of HTC, is the creator of the unprecedented
Vive PC-based virtual reality system, which was built and optimized
for room-scale VR and true-to-life interactions. The Vive ecosystem
has evolved around its premium VR product portfolio, supported by
Vive X, the most active global VR/AR accelerator that has invested
in over 80 start-ups, Viveport, a global content platform with the
world's first VR subscription model that operates in more than 45
countries, and Vive Studios, Vive's VR content development and
publishing initiative. Now with the Vive PC series including the
Vive CE and the Vive Pro, as well as the Vive Focus standalone,
Vive is delivering on the promise of VR with game-changing
technology and best-in-class content, bringing VR to consumers,
developers and enterprises alike. For more information on Vive,
please visit www.vive.com.
© 2017 HTC Corporation. All rights reserved. HTC, HTC VIVE,
VIVE are trademarks or registered trademarks of HTC
Corporation. All other trademarks are property of their respective
owners.
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SOURCE HTC