HTC teases new VR hardware to be released next week

HTC will announce a pair of enterprise-focused VR headsets at an event next week called Vivecon, according to a report. Ahead of the event, HTC has been doing some teasing of the coming hardware but has offered little in the way of detail. The report says the company will be launching a virtual reality headset called the Vive Focus 3 Business Edition, which is a standalone VR device.

HTC will also reportedly launch a new high-end PC VR headset. HTC's event will be held on May 11-12 online, and so far, all we know about the hardware expected to be revealed at the event is the teaser image seen above showing a black headset with what appears to be outward-facing cameras. HTC tweeted the teaser images along with the caption, asking, "Ready to work in virtual reality?"

The fact that the teaser asked if people were ready to work in virtual reality suggests at least one of the devices will be an enterprise-focused headset. HTC has offered no insight into the rumor, but document hounds digging into HTC corporate documents have found mentions of the Focus 3 and the Pro 2. Those headsets were also spied online, albeit briefly, on a European website called Alzashop.

Listings for those products were quickly removed, but once something is online, it's out there, and cached versions of those product listings said they would be available by May 20. While the leaks were up, the Focus 3 Business Edition was listed as selling for the equivalent of $1771. The Pro 2 was listed at the equivalent of $1012.

While pricing and availability were leaked, there were no hardware specifications or images of the devices. HTC has promised a new standalone headset will launch in 2021, and it appears that will happen this month.