HTC launches VIVE Focus Plus, a standalone enterprise VR system
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HTC's VIVE virtual reality unit launched the VIVE Focus Plus, which is a hardware unit for enterprise customers.
The company, which will highlight the VIVE Focus Plus at MWC 2019, has been honing in on the enterprise market and is seeing some traction with developers. Enterprises have been piloting augmented and virtual reality platforms from HTC, Oculus, Microsoft, Google and Amazon Web Services. Some of these efforts include hardware and others revolve around services and software.
According to HTC, the VIVE Focus Plus is an all-in-one system that has been upgraded to incorporate dual controllers in the same way they would use a PC-based VR device. Developers can also port existing PC VR content to the VIVE Focus Plus.
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Like most VR hardware vendors, HTC is trying to address the comfort issue with a design that rests easier on consumers heads. The comfort issue is critical for enterprises, which may need employees to wear the headset for extended periods. According to CNET's Scott Stein, VIVE Focus Plus is likely to compete with Oculus Quest. Oculus has won a few enterprise deployments in companies like Walmart, but developers are hedging bets between the various VR platforms.
HTC's VIVE Focus Plus has a kiosk mode, gaze support and device management tools to remotely monitor and manage a fleet of headsets. Those features are critical for businesses.
VIVE Focus Plus will be available in the second quarter in 25 markets. An enterprise license is included with the product with no additional costs. HTC noted use cases such as safety simulation and medical training and cited pilots with companies such as SimforHealth and Immersive Factory.
A few specs include:
- Qualcomm® Snapdragon 835 Mobile VR Platform.
- 3K AMOLED display.
- Two ultrasonic 6DoF controllers.
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HTC's VIVE enterprise efforts:
- HTC partners with Mozilla's Firefox, AWS Amazon Sumerian
- HTC teases VR headset for the masses in Vive Cosmos CNET
- HTC Vive aims to woo more businesses to VR via Vive Focus, Wave, Sync
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