HTC will launch a mobile version of the Vive this year
HTC isn't selling as many phones as it used to, and is now referring to itself as a "VR company," much to the delight of its shareholders.
The company has informed CNET UK that is working on a mobile version of the HTC Vive, though the design and functionality is not yet clear. What is clear is that "it's not a phone slapped onto a headset. It'd be a different thing," according to CFO Chia-lin Chang.
The Vive, while great, requires a very powerful PC and a rat's nest of wires to function properly, while solutions like Google Daydream and Samsung Gear VR merely require a compatible smartphone. They're not as powerful, obviously, but you can take it with you.
HTC promises something in the middle, perhaps a bit more standalone, and slightly more powerful, than Google's and Samsung's approaches, but more portable than a Vive. According to HTC, the solution will be compatible with its new HTC U Ultra flagship, and will be released before the end of 2017.
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Daniel Bader was a former Android Central Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor for iMore and Windows Central.