HTC Re Vive will have a front-facing camera, better ergonomics and a rechargeable controller at launch
While the HTC Re Vive still isn’t quite ready to be unleashed onto the world, HTC has been making steady progress, and they revealed the latest developments for the virtual reality headset today. The device has gotten improved ergonomics and a grip of new features that should make life easier for the multitudes of people who are bound to use it.
Starting with the headset itself, HTC has introduced a slightly new design for the head unit that emphasizes comfort. This is a natural route to go — no one’s going to feel immersed if their head feels like it’s being squeezed by the hands of big foot. You’ll get interchangeable foam inserts and nose gaskets, a more steady fit thanks to improved strap design, and a better display with more brightness and clarity. They’ve also refined the adjustment mechanisms to be able to comfortably fit any face, even those who wear glasses.
One of the other big additions to the head unit is a front-facing camera, which can be used to view surroundings while your headset is on, or even serve up new immersive experiences driven by the camera. Finally, the controller gets a big upgrade in areas of comfortability with softer edges, better balance, textured buttons, and grip pads. The trigger is now dual-staged for finger control, and vibrations should help drive immersion home. The controllers are now also rechargeable thanks to a lithium polymer pack built-in. They last for 4 hours on a single charge.
HTC’s still sticking to their April 2016 launch window for the Vive, so we’re just a few short months away from consumers being able to finally experience what some are calling the best mobile virtual reality platform in the works.