A highly anticipated live online event last Thursday, October 14, announced the VIVE Flow. Images of the headset had been aggressively leaked in the days leading up to the launch, leading to much speculation. Most of our questions were answered during the event.
Introducing the VIVE Flow
The only purpose of the event was to launch the VIVE Flow, “the immersive VR glasses made for wellness and mindful productivity.” The glasses are primarily pitched to a wellness audience, which is a stark contrast to the company’s recent pivot toward enterprise. However, the new headset is compatible with Sync, the remote collaboration platform launched earlier this year.
“Personal electronics are usually designed to make us more productive,” CEO and Chairwoman of HTC, Cher Wang, said during the 18-minute launch video. “Today, HTC is taking hardware in a new direction by focusing not on what we do, but on how we feel.”
Checking Out the Specs
The VIVE Flow weighs in at 189g with a 50g 1.2M cable, presumably so that the device can be used while charging. The cable appeared in some of the videos shown during the event, as well as in some of the leaked images from the days leading up to the event, but was never addressed in the launch.
In addition to its lighter weight, VIVE Flow can fold like a pair of glasses, though an optional face cushion adds some bulk. Still, the sleek design includes built-in dual cameras for 6DoF inside-out tracking, spatial audio and dual microphones, active cooling, and adjustable diopter lenses.
The lenses also offer a 3.2K combined LCD display, with up to 100 degrees FOV, and support video pass-through. Also on deck: 4GB of RAM, 64GB ROM, and a 75 Hz refresh rate.
There are no controllers, as VIVE Flow uses bluetooth to connect to a user’s mobile phone, which then serves as the controller. You can check whether your phone is compatible through this link. HTC says that they will “continue to update the list of compatible phones” but, as of this writing, the Flow is not compatible with any iOS devices.
Available Now for Preorder
In addition to VIVE Sync, we know from the launch event that there are at least six experiences available on VIVE Flow including Healium, TRIPP, and “Space Slurpies” by Starcade Arcade.
These seven experiences, a carrying case, and two free months of VIVE Infinity come for free for those who preorder the Flow before October 31, while supplies last. VIVE Flow is currently selling for $499, and that price is guaranteed through the end of the year.
