• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
TechCES

HTC Introduces Vive Pre VR System at CES

By
John Gaudiosi
John Gaudiosi
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
John Gaudiosi
John Gaudiosi
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 5, 2016, 10:04 AM ET
HTC

HTC is showing off a brand-new Vive Pre virtual reality system at CES 2016, but it’s only for developers. The company is giving away 7,000 of the new products to game makers and other creatives this month, according to Dan O’Brien, vice president of planning and product management for HTC Vive.

HTC (HTC) did not announce pricing or a firm release date for the HTC Vive Consumer Edition, which was previously delayed until April. All of the enhancements on the HTC Pre will ultimately end up in the consumer edition.

O’Brien says HTC has designed every piece of the HTC Pre from the ground up.

“The headset has brighter, crisper screens with Mura correction, which makes objects feel like they’re right in front of you,” O’Brien says. “It adds to the presence value.”

The headset is smaller and more comfortable than the Vive design, according to O’Brien. Interchangeable foam inserts and nose gaskets make it easier to adjust the headset to faces of any size or shape, including consumers wearing eyeglasses.

WATCH: Expect drones, all kinds of reality, and more drones at CES 2016:

New on the Vive Pre is the new front-facing camera, which is being used in two ways. As part of the “chaperone system,” the camera overlays real-world items like walls, chairs, and tables into the virtual world for a mixed reality experience to ensure users don’t walk into things as they’re playing games or exploring experiences.

This “pass-through camera” safety feature is customizable, as users can assign the dimensions of their play space when setting up the system. Unlike Facebook’s Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive has been designed to allow navigation through a real-world room while exploring virtual worlds. The new camera replaces the grid system that previously would interrupt a virtual reality experience to alert a user that a wall or other object was nearby.

O’Brien says users also can turn on the pass-through camera at any time during a session by pressing a button combination on the controller. This makes it easy for consumers to see and communicate with friends in the room, or find a chair for a sit-down virtual reality experience.

“We’re going to make the camera completely accessible to developers and let them iterate on the potential beyond what we’ve done,” O’Brien says.

Each Vive Pre system ships with two wireless hand controllers. These have been redesigned for a more ergonomic look and feel with textured buttons and side grip pads. O’Brian says HTC has also added a dual-stage trigger for smoother interactions with virtual objects and haptic feedback to complete the immersion. The controllers are powered by rechargeable lithium polymer batteries that last four hours.

“We thought about all the things necessary to have the best VR experience and decided it’s not a rotational or seated VR experience, but room-scale VR where you have the freedom to move around,” O’Brien says.

O’Brien says there are thousands of games in development for HTC Vive Pre. Several games will be on display at CES, including a demo of Starbreeze VR’s John Wick shooter, Vertigo Games’ zombie shooter Arizona Sunshine, Owlchemy’s Job Simulator, and Valve’s Portal and Shopkeeper demos. The Martian VR Experience from 20th Century Fox also will be on display.

O’Brien says the focus at CES is on the new hardware, while a separate content-focused event in Seattle in late January will showcase new games and entertainment content. Both HTC and partner Valve, which creates the SteamVR operating system that the Vive runs on, are based in Seattle.

HTC has worked with Valve to hand-pick the developers who receive the free developer kits, since O’Brien says Valve has long-standing relationships with the top game makers in the industry.

Also at CES this week, the Vive is featured in the Audi booth, showing how the technology can be integrated into a showroom experience. Dassault Systemes is showing a Vive painting and design experience at its booth. VirZoom is using the Vive in its virtual bike experience. 20th Century Fox is demonstrating The Martian Experience with the Vive. And Virtuix Omni is using four Vive headsets for a multiplayer eSports competition.

“Valve and HTC have a combined vision of this space, and while it’s going to explode with gaming and entertainment initially, which is where the best developers are, it will evolve,” O’Brien says. “A lot of developers are creating new tools for these other verticals like design, education, military, engineering, and medicine. Several are starting to evolve quickly, but in general, nongaming content will become a big part of the virtual reality ecosystem.”

SIGN UP:Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter about the business of technology.

O’Brien says a lot of partners are already thinking about the Vive within the enterprise space. One early example is a surgical theater, where doctors could walk through a brain before an operation to see it from every angle.

“If I’m a teacher, this changes everything,” O’Brien says. “Kids who do a VR experience around the same content as kids who read four pages of text end up testing higher and retaining the information longer.”

HTC will begin taking preorders for the Vive in late February.

About the Author
By John Gaudiosi
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Man in a white shirt and jacket.
InnovationBrainstorm Tech
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
2 hours ago
A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026
InvestingWall Street
Wall Street dumped nearly $1 trillion in tech stocks by midday—then clawed it back and bought peanut butter and paint
By Eva RoytburgJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
AI isn’t replacing Hyatt’s salespeople—it’s freeing up a full day of work every week, according to the CEO
AIBrainstorm Tech
AI isn’t replacing Hyatt’s salespeople—it’s freeing up a full day of work every week, according to the CEO
By Sharon GoldmanJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
America’s grid is reeling. General Motors offers itself as a distributed utility in disguise
EnergyAutos
America’s grid is reeling. General Motors offers itself as a distributed utility in disguise
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
Tesla cofounder: ‘We should be really worried’ about the U.S. grid as China speeds ahead in the power race
EnergyBrainstorm Tech
Tesla cofounder: ‘We should be really worried’ about the U.S. grid as China speeds ahead in the power race
By Jordan BlumJune 9, 2026
5 hours ago
The AI industry spent years chasing bigger models. Now it’s chasing efficiency
AIBrainstorm Tech
The AI industry spent years chasing bigger models. Now it’s chasing efficiency
By Sharon GoldmanJune 9, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
10 hours ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 8, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
1 day ago
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
Success
Gen Zers are arriving at college unable to even read a sentence—professors warn it could lead to a generation of anxious and lonely graduates
By Preston ForeJune 7, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.