Earlier, the internet discovered a list of awards for a new HTC Vive headset that was not actually announced – HTC Vive Air.
Was this an early leak of a new device to be announced at next month’s Vivecon event? Unfortunately no.
HTC Vive Air is cool, but not real
In a statement given to UploadVR, HTC confirmed that Vive Air is not actually a real product.
“It’s interesting to see our concept piece, the VIVE Air VR headset, winning an iF Design Award,” the statement said. “Although this is just a concept, the design language has elements and inspirations that you will see elsewhere in our products. We are not the ones resting on our laurels, so although it is great to win this award, we have to take care of ourselves – we hope to see you on May 11/12 at VIVECON. ”
It may have been just a concept, but HTC Vive Air certainly had an interesting premise. The listing features a helmet designed specifically for VR fitness applications, using breathable fabrics that provide ventilation. It looks a lot like a sneaker turned into a VR headset and has four cameras for indoor and outdoor tracking and a removable front plate so you can wash the frame itself.
But the concept doesn’t leave much room for the inside of a stand-alone VR headset (the list doesn’t show the wires on the device, but doesn’t actually specify that it’s an all-in-one) – there’s not much room for them on removable front plate.
However, fitness is becoming an increasingly important part of the VR ecosystem; Not only do players lose weight by playing Beat Saber, but some companies like FitXR have even launched full monthly subscription services for virtual gyms.
The moment is a little unfortunate for HTC, given that the company has started teasing what looks like a new set of VR headsets for the first Vivecon event on May 11 and 12. We also know that the company is set to launch a new independent headset later this year, but it is likely to be a successor to Vive Focus and may still be business-focused.