HTC Vive Focus 2.0 update promises long battery life, among other things for the VR headset

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HTC Vive Focus, the standalone VR headset, gets a major system update 2.0, making the headset even more versatile, before its global release.

HTC announced at the annual Vive Ecosystem Conference in Shenzhen, that its standalone 6DoF Vive headset can install a System update 2.0 which promises long battery life, ability to link with HTC smartphones, passenger and surroundings mode along with other exciting features.

Vive Focus Smartphone Integration Features

Here’s a quick rundown of updates made to HTC Vive Focus:

Key feature updates

Smartphone Integration: There is a newly added ability to link HTC Smartphone with the Vive Focus. This helps users take calls, receive messages, and view social media notifications from a paired HTC smartphone, without taking the headset off. This new Focus feature will be made available first to the HTC U12+ and will later get distributed for all the other HTC smartphone users through HTC’s and Tencent’s app stores.
Surroundings Mode: This mode is handy when using Vive focus in a moving vehicle. It is a see-through mode which can be enabled by double-clicking the power button on the headset. The camera in the headset then gets activated. This helps the user to see the world outside the headset without taking it off.
Passenger Mode: This mode makes it possible for the users to experience the Virtual world seamlessly, making sure that the user does not drift away in the virtual world due to the turbulence of a moving vehicle.
Stream Content from Viveport or SteamVR: The new Vive Focus update also provides users the ability to stream Viveport or SteamVR content from PC to a Vive Focus using Riftcat VRidge app over 5GHz WiFi.
VR apps installation: You can now install apps directly on the microSD card with the new System Update 2.0. You can also purchase apps using credit cards from within the Viveport store.

Other Upcoming Features

There are other upcoming features lined up for HTC Vive Focus in the third quarter of 2018. These features include:

Software update which will make Vive’s 3DoF headset controller behave like a 6DoF controller by using computer vision technology on focus’ camera.
Hand movements tracking with the help of front cameras using gesture recognition technology.
You will be able to stream different forms of media such as apps, videos and games directly from the six-inch U12+ phone screen to the bigger VR display.
An additional combination of media storage device and external battery pack, the Seagate VR Power Drive will also be enabled in the HTC Vive Focus. The VR power drive is also compatible with U12+ and will be optimized for the Focus as well. This promises to improve the battery life considerably.

Vive Focus system update 2.0 is available on all HTC Vive Focus devices which are available only in China for now. No announcement has been made regarding its availability in the West, but with the company shipping dev kits to developers in the past few weeks, the announcement will be made soon. Also, details regarding the cost and storage capacity will be announced later this year but it’s not yet confirmed.

With competitors such as Google daydream powered Lenovo Mirage Solo, the latest updates made to the HTC Vive Focus have built major anticipation in the mind of the users regarding what more to expect in the VR world.