Virtual Reality Shifts into High Gear with its Most Powerful System Yet, hTC vive pro
Following a preview at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show 2018, HTC Vive™ is bringing its most powerful virtual reality (VR) system ever to Saudi Arabia with the availability of the HTC Vive Pro™.
The company confirmed that the Vive Pro’s new Head Mounted Display (HMD) will retail for SAR3,299 and is available now for purchase through its dedicated Middle East e-commerce store, with availability in local Saudi retailers beginning in June.
Overall, total spend on AR and VR products across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) is forecasted to reach USD 3 billion in 2018 alone, according to IDC, over double the amount spent in 2017. Within Saudi Arabia, room-scale virtual reality systems such as HTC Vive have already been welcomed by businesses across various industries, from entertainment to healthcare and education.
“Today, VR represents the convergence of technology with humanity, and that is unleashing human imagination in entirely new ways. When we step into VR, we step into a whole world that can truly change lives for the better.
With more advancement systems like the Vive Pro, and together with strategic content and brand partners, we are now making the future more accessible to individual users, businesses and developers around the world,” said Raymond Pao, vice president of product & strategy and general manager of Asia at HTC Vive.
The Vive Pro is built for VR enthusiasts and enterprise users who want the best display and audio for their virtual reality experiences. Vive Pro is a room-scale VR system that includes dual-OLED displays for a crisp picture resolution that is a 78% increase in resolution over the current Vive HMD—initially released in 2016. In addition to visuals, the Vive Pro also features integrated, high-performance headphones with a built-in amplifier that creates a heightened sense of presence and sound through noise cancellation capabilities.
“We are elated to be showcasing the immersive power of VR to consumers and enterprises in Saudi Arabia with the availability of the Vive Pro rolling out in the coming months. Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available, and the endorsement of such technologies by local brands promises to make VR more accessible while expanding the potential for local developers,” added Ramit Harisinghani, vice president and head of Middle East & Africa at HTC Vive.
Vive Pro – The Most Complete VR Platform
Current Vive owners can upgrade their headset to Vive Pro for the best display, audio, and comfort in the industry. The Vive Pro works with both SteamVR Tracking 1.0 and 2.0, meaning existing Vive customers can upgrade the headset only and continue to use current generation controllers and base stations. These improved graphics and audio allow users to experience VR with enhanced clarity, making it the most realistic and immersive VR experience on the market today.
Also, the Vive Pro has been rebuilt to maximize comfort for the most demanding VR users. The Vive Pro features a redesigned head-strap that balances the headset’s weight more evenly and features easy adjustment buttons for Vive users with glasses.
With more than 3,000 titles available, Vive continues to be the platform of choice for developers and consumers alike. Operating in over 60 countries, HTC’s content platform Viveport also brings premium experiences in entertainment, education, arcade, arts & culture, and enterprise to a global audience. A Viveport subscription allows consumers to choose from over 400 pieces of content from a highly-curated offering, allowing consumers to discover the best VR has to offer.
The full Vive kit, including the new Vive Pro HMD, will be available as a single retail package starting in the Middle East from Q3 2018.
