• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechVirtual Reality

HTC and Facebook’s Oculus Debut New Virtual Reality Headsets

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
January 8, 2018, 7:58 PM ET

Two more virtual reality headsets are hitting the market from Taiwanese gadget maker HTC and Facebook’s Oculus VR business unit.

The companies announced the new VR headsets against the backdrop of this week’s annual International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

HTC said Monday that it plans to sell a new version of its Vive headset, the Vive Pro. Like the Vive, people will be able to wear the VR headset to surround themselves in digital worlds.

The Vive Pro will have an improved resolution compared to the older Vive model to help it present more compelling graphics and sharper text, the company said. A new headstrap will also let people more easily adjust the Vive Pro headset to fit their heads and better distribute weight so that it doesn’t feel too heavy, HTC said.

However, HTC did not say when the headset would be available or how much it would cost. The company is pitching the Vive Pro as an “upgrade” to the current Vive headset, but it’s unclear if current Vive owners will be able to trade their existing headsets in for the new models when they eventually debut.

HTC also did not say if the VR headset would require a more powerful computer to operate than the current Vive headset.

Fortune contacted HTC for more information and will update this story if it responds.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

HTC is also describing the Vive Pro as a “premium” consumer device intended for “VR enthusiasts,” which likely means that it will cost more than the current Vive, which costs $600 after a $200 price cut in August.

Meanwhile, Oculus also said Monday that it plans to debut the Mi VR Standalone VR headset that will go on sale in China sometime in 2018.

The Mi VR headset appears to be similar to the company’s recently announced Oculus Go headset, which costs $200, does not require a computer to operate, but will display less impressive visuals than the Oculus Rift headset.

The Mi VR Standalone headset will also contain a “powerful video player” and a “localized social experience,” intended specifically for Chinese users and that will be built by Chinese tech firm Xiaomi. Oculus did not say how much the Mi VR headset will cost.

Oculus also said that Xiaomi will help build the new Oculus Go and Mi VR headsets. Facebook’s (FB) current head of VR, Hugo Barra, was previously Xiaomi’s vice president of global operations before joining the social network a year ago.

“Through our partnership with Xiaomi, both Oculus Go and Mi VR Standalone represent our first step in delivering that sweet spot between mobile and PC VR,” Facebook vice president of VR Hugo Barra said in a statement. “These devices will be, hands down, the easiest way to get into VR.”

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Anthropic co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei speaking at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2023 in Park City, Utah. (Photo: Stuart Isett/Fortune)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Anthropic plows toward an IPO
By Andrew NuscaDecember 3, 2025
5 minutes ago
MagazineFood and drink
A Chinese ice cream chain, powered by super-cheap cones, now has more outlets than McDonald’s
By Theodora YuDecember 3, 2025
2 hours ago
InnovationBrainstorm Design
Video games can teach designers deeper lessons than ‘high score streaks’ and gamification
By Angelica AngDecember 3, 2025
5 hours ago
LawInternet
A Supreme Court decision could put your internet access at risk. Here’s who could be affected
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewDecember 2, 2025
14 hours ago
AITikTok
China’s ByteDance could be forced to sell TikTok U.S., but its quiet lead in AI will help it survive—and maybe even thrive
By Nicholas GordonDecember 2, 2025
15 hours ago
United Nations
AIUnited Nations
UN warns about AI becoming another ‘Great Divergence’ between rich and poor countries like the Industrial Revolution
By Elaine Kurtenbach and The Associated PressDecember 2, 2025
16 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Ford workers told their CEO 'none of the young people want to work here.' So Jim Farley took a page out of the founder's playbook
By Sasha RogelbergNovember 28, 2025
5 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Warren Buffett used to give his family $10,000 each at Christmas—but when he saw how fast they were spending it, he started buying them shares instead
By Eleanor PringleDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Elon Musk says he warned Trump against tariffs, which U.S. manufacturers blame for a turn to more offshoring and diminishing American factory jobs
By Sasha RogelbergDecember 2, 2025
18 hours ago
placeholder alt text
North America
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos commit $102.5 million to organizations combating homelessness across the U.S.: ‘This is just the beginning’
By Sydney LakeDecember 2, 2025
20 hours ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
MacKenzie Scott's $19 billion donations have turned philanthropy on its head—why her style of giving actually works
By Sydney LakeDecember 2, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
North America
Anonymous $50 million donation helps cover the next 50 years of tuition for medical lab science students at University of Washington
By The Associated PressDecember 2, 2025
22 hours ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • 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
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 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.