Vive Flow is the latest VR headset from HTC Corporation, and it’s a deviation from its other products, not only in its design but in how it works. The HTC Corporation has been making VR headsets since 2015 through its VR arm, HTC Vive.
Although VR technology has existed for years, the adoption rate is still low compared to other technology such as smartphones. There are not a lot of players in the industry, and some have even exited or shut down their VR ambitions, such as Google and Samsung. The cost of adoption is also still high for many people, even in cases where the launch price has been lowered.
The VIVE Flow stands out from the handful of VR headsets available on the market with its bug’s eye-like design. It definitely can’t be mistaken for a product from another brand, at least not until someone else copies the design. The VIVE Flow can be pre-ordered before it becomes available in November, but spending $499 isn’t the only thing to consider for those who want to pick up this device.
How The VIVE Flow Works And What You Need
The Vive Flow works by connecting to a phone and an external power source. HTC has made the headset as light as possible. One of the ways it achieved the 189 grams weight was by not including a battery that the device can run off of for hours, but there is a small battery just big enough to keep the VIVE Flow working for a few minutes while switching power sources. HTC is selling a portable battery pack, but a compatible third-party battery pack (power bank) and a USB-C cable should suffice. Unlike its other VR headsets that have a pair of controllers, the VIVE Flow uses a connected smartphone as a controller.
HTC is limiting compatibility to Android phones for now, so iOS devices are ruled out. However, not all Android phones are supported either. For example, smartphones powered by Samsung’s Exynos chipsets are not compatible, thus eliminating all of the flagship Galaxy phones with an Exynos processor. They also have to be running Android 9 and later. HTC has a compatibility check tool on its website to know if a phone will work with the VIVE Flow. There is also a very short list of compatible devices powered by chips from Qualcomm and MediaTek on the site. Suppose a device isn’t on the list. In that case, HTC says it can still be compatible if it supports 5GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Miracast, and HDCP 2.2 (or similar standards), a copy prevention technology used for HDMI, DisplayPort and USB.
The smartphone requirements do exclude many devices, but those who own a compatible device, a portable battery pack with a USB-C cable, and have $499 to spare, may also have to add a Viveport Infinity app subscription service that costs $5.99/month. Those who pre-order a Vive Flow headset get a free two-month subscription. There will be limited apps and games available from the Viveport library at launch, but alongside being able to cast apps from a connected phone to the VIVE Flow, HTC has said more apps will be added to the library by the end of the year.
