The beginning of November saw fresh rumors that indicate a second-generation HTC Vive is in the pipeline. Now, that information has already been confirmed by HTC with no less than a guarantee that the upcoming virtual reality headset will have an enhanced design and, most importantly, improved performance.
There is very little information about the new device's specs and form factor. The rumor mill, however, has some pretty interesting insights to share.
New HTC Vive Headset Rumors
Noted HTC leaker @LlabTooFeR, for example, revealed that the VR gear is called Oasis, a code name inspired by Ernest Cline's futuristic novel about VR.
HTC is working in refreshed Vive headset... Internal codename is Oasis...
— LlabTooFeR (@LlabTooFeR) November 2, 2016
It is also widely speculated that this latest iteration of the Vive could come without the wires and cables that hamper its wearer's movements. This claim is based on recent reports that Oculus and Google are now working on their respective stand-alone/wireless VR headsets.
In September, a Bulgarian company also leaked that it is working with HTC to build an unidentified wireless device. At the very least, therefore, we should expect that Oasis could very well ship in a significantly leaner form.
HTC Viveport Arcade Strategy
It appears that the refresh is partly attributed to the ongoing rollout of HTC's Viveport Arcade strategy. The company just announced that it will be opening a string of VR hubs called Viveport in the United States, China and Europe. These hubs can be likened to internet cafés or arcades that exclusively cater to VR content.
Rikard Steiber, senior vice president of virtual reality at HTC, told TechCrunch that many of the Oasis' improvements were aimed to satisfy the VR arcade's peripheral requirements.
"Any Vive hardware upgrades at arcades are related to the current business edition Vive hardware or innovations on peripherals that could create unique experiences for arcade installations," an HTC spokesperson added in the TechCrunch report.
While the HTC Vive has earned plaudits from developers and users alike, it still has not gained enough traction. A Steam survey revealed that while HTC Vive dominates the VR battle, closely followed by the Oculus Rift, the overall VR growth in comparison to other platforms has been dismal. In this context, there is a possibility that HTC could roll out a cheaper VR model to further encourage adoption.
HTC could also introduce more practical features as was the case when the HTC Vive counteracted a man's visual impairment.
HTC Vive 2 Release Date Rumor: Will We See It At CES 2017?
There is still no official word coming from HTC about potential launch dates. However, the grapevine has identified a year-end launch or a CES 2017 debut if that does not pan out. The launch schedule is critical for Vive watchers because there is a significantly long waiting period before a commercial release hits the market. The first generation Vive, for instance, was launched in 2015 but the consumer version was sold this year.
