After years of focusing on business-oriented virtual reality, HTC is launching a $499 entertainment-focused headset called the Vive Flow in November, with preorders starting globally today.
The Vive Flow is a completely new device from the HTC Vive. The Vive Flow is a standalone hardware piece that was inspired by a pair sunglasses. It could be mistaken for an augmented reality headset. You'll find a lighter version than the Vive headsets of years past, with fewer major features.
The Vive Flow was heavily leaked before HTC's reveal today. It is a compromise between accessibility and capability. The display is 1.6K per eye (HTC did not provide exact resolution), with a 100 degree field of view and a 75Hz refresh speed. It's slightly less than the Vive Focus 3's 120 degree and 90Hz rates, but it has a similar refresh rate and a smaller field of view to the original Quest. It is also somewhat comparable to Oculus Quests refresh rates before a recent upgrade, and a little smaller than its 110-degree field.
Two front-facing cameras are capable of inside-out motion tracking. HTC also plans to offer hand tracking. However, the feature was not available during a prelaunch demo and did not give a timeline for its rollout. It uses the latest-generation Qualcomm XR1 chipset, which is different from the Quest 2s XR2. It has 64GB of storage space, but unlike the Focus 3, it doesn't have an expansion slot.
HTC's main selling point is its lightweight hardware. According to Dan OBrien (HTCs head of VR), we wanted something lighter, more wearable and easier to carry around. The Flow is lighter than the Oculus Quest 2 at 189g and folds up for storage in a $49 case.
The Vive Flow will not come with a controller, unlike previous Vive headsets. Instead, the headset can be connected wirelessly to an Android phone and used as a combination touchpad/remote. It functions in the same way as the Samsung Gear VR or mobile Google Daydream remotes. The headset acts as a virtual laser pointer and has buttons to select items and call up the homescreen.
The Flow was pictured plugged into a black box in leaked photos, which some speculated could be an external computing device. The headset can be charged with a $79 battery that will last for between four and five hours. Although the Flow has its own battery, HTC claims it lasts only a few minutes. It is designed to allow you to swap power sources without having to turn off your headset. You will need the HTC battery (sold separately) or a 10,000mAh power bank with a USB-C cable, according to HTC.
The phone connection allows you to control the device and mirror Android apps. It can call up a virtual copy your phone's homescreen, allow you to launch apps such as streaming video services, and let you launch them in a floating window. Although the headset does not work with iPhones, HTC indicated that it is working on future support.
HTC encourages people to use Vive Flow to create visually immersive, but mostly stationary experiences. You can view 360-degree videos and sit in virtual environments, but not use apps that require full-fledged virtual fingers. This excludes most popular VR games. Camera tracking provides a more natural experience than a headset which can only detect your angle, but the app catalog is flexible enough to allow you to move around.
HTC claims that the Flow will be launched with 100 apps and 150 more by the end the year. The Flow will support streaming video and also promotes the Tripp meditation application and MyndVR VR therapeutic service, which is designed for older adults. Vive Sync allows you to interact with VR social spaces and view streaming video. This is a feature that has been very popular with AR glasses. HTC's Viveport Store will only support the Flow, but users can subscribe to a $5.99 per-month Viveports app subscription service that is Flow-focused at $5.99.
The Vive Flow is a VR headset that's designed for those who find current VR headsets too complicated or intimidating. OBrien describes it as a device that can be carried around in a backpack and not require extra controllers. He says that we wanted something simple and flexible. HTC is not trying to compete with gaming headsets.
This strategy includes HTC's focus on older users (the large Boomer population), according to a MyndVR representative. The push for a glasses-like design is part of this strategy. The user who wants the headset to be easy to use and un-intimidating, OBrien states, is the Flow's target audience. It shares a lot with the Oculus Go but has a more modern look and features such as the inside-out camera tracking.
The Vive Flow's brief experience was mixed. HTC has offloaded its battery, making the Flow surprisingly light. The headset was too loose without a strap to hold it in place. It kept sliding down my face, blurring my VR experience. HTC will offer different face gaskets that can be swapped for different sizes. One of the options worked better than the other. However, I had to be cautious while turning my head and balance the headset was not relaxing.
The Flow was far more comfortable than any of the previous VR headsets that were based on glasses. The Flow is still unsteady-feeling compared to the Focus 3, Quest or virtually any other major VR headset. There's also no alternative strap for those who prefer a more secure fit. You can adjust the focus of each eye by turning the dial. However, this is not possible with the Quest 2. Instead, you will need to remove the headset, turn the wheels one notch and then put it back on.
Although the Vive Flows most radical departure from traditional VR design is the smartphone-based controller it uses, it's actually quite awkward. An HTC-provided Android phone worked well as a VR laser pointer. Because of the long-running trend towards larger phones, I couldn't fit my hands around HTC's phone to tap the virtual buttons on the screen. This headset is also strange for older users who are significantly less likely to own smartphones.
The interaction problem could be partially solved by hand tracking. However, gesture interfaces are still frustratingly inconsistent and require you to hold your fingers up in fine movements. This is especially problematic if your hands are limited. I also didn't have the opportunity to test HTCs version during my demo. OBrien said that HTC is still exploring other control systems and plans to release the headset, then modify its design based upon how users use it.
It is not clear that HTC's focus on portability is what will win over VR doubters. For years, companies have promoted VR that you can carry around with you. I've never seen anyone cite this as a selling point. However, even skeptics have praised bulkier headsets as being more comfortable. HTC claims that people will be less awkward in public places like planes, thanks to the glasses-like design. I have not worn a VR headset in public, but it is enough to make me feel less weird.
The US market doesn't have a clear target audience for the Flow. Although it is more expensive than the Facebook-subsidized Oculus Qest 2, and has fewer features, it does have specialized features that could make it attractive to businesses and other organizations. The Flow is not a VR headset that can be used for 360-degree video. Film festivals and schools might use it. Sync, a social app by HTC, could be very popular. My Flow demo did not give me a good idea of its daily value beyond its video and meditation options. I found small games I could play, but not tools that I would spend $499 for.
HTC has a solid base of VR hardware and is happy to make the Flow available as an experiment. You won't find another major headset similar to it, even if it makes you look like a bug.
