HTC co-founder reveals new VR headset and social platform
Priced at $599, Mova headset offers hand-tracking and 5G while social platform Manova makes big promises
The virtual reality space has a new contender with a reveal this week from XRSpace, a VR hardware and software company headed by HTC co-founder Peter Chou.
Chou, who left the Taiwanese phone smartphone manufacturer in 2015, has reappeared at the head of XRSpace which has been working under the radar for three years on its Mova headset and Manova social platform.
The $599 headset features mobile 5G and two front-mounted cameras which supposedly enable hand-tracking input.
Manova, meanwhile, is a VR social platform which aims to be a place "where people can be together, experience everyday social situations without the limits of distance"
"Our mission is to bring people together through the power of 5G XR, surpassing the limited experience of smartphones today," said Chou.
"The singular goal of XRSpace, is to take XR to the masses by redefining how people connect, socialise, and collaborate by simplifying the hardware and user experience."
XRSpace promises to deliver a "true social VR experience for all" as the "world's first social VR platform designed for mass market users."
Priced a full $200 more than the 64GB Oculus Quest, which also offers hand-tracking, Mova faces some stiff competition from other hardware providers.
While Manova is the key selling point for XRSpace, it is far from the only virtual reality social platform available; Rec Room, launched in 2016, currently dominates the space, while Facebook is developing its own platform with Facebook Horizons.