- Kyle Chua
HTC Teases Metaverse-Ready Smartphone Launching Later This Month
HTC hasn’t released a new flagship smartphone in a long while, but that could soon change, with the brand teasing an announcement for later this month.
The Taiwan-based laptop maker is set to mark its return to the smartphone market on Tuesday, 28 June with what it calls a metaverse-ready – or rather a Viverse-ready – smartphone. The announcement was accompanied by a graphic showing what looks to be the shape of the soon-to-be-unveiled mobile device.
While not much else is known right now, the smartphone’s focus seems to be virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, specifically the metaverse.
Meta isn’t the only one with ambitions to turn the much-buzzed-about concept into a reality. HTC at MWC 2022 unveiled the aforementioned Viverse platform, a digital ecosystem of sorts where users could freely explore interconnected worlds and engage in a host of different activities. The platform is powered by the company's Vive VR system.
HTC's upcoming smartphone is sure to have some form of integration with its open-sourced metaverse platform, the details of which will likely be revealed during the event itself.
Digital Trends notes that this isn't the first time the brand is incorporating emerging technology into its smartphones. HTC, for instance, a couple of years ago tried to capitalise on the popularity of cryptocurrency by launching the HTC Exodus and the HTC Exodus 1s, a pair of smartphones that support blockchain technology and could be used as a digital wallet for coins. The site adds that due to the niche nature of the smartphones' supposed main selling point, the idea wasn't exactly a hit for the company.
HTC is likely hoping it'll be different this time around for its Viverse-ready smartphone. The flagship was originally supposed to launch in April but was pushed back due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Taiwan and supply chain issues.
HTC is set to mark its return to the smartphone market on Tuesday, 28 June with what it calls a metaverse-ready – or rather a Viverse-ready – smartphone.
While not much else is known right now, the smartphone’s focus seems to be virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) experiences, specifically the metaverse.
The company at MWC 2022 earlier this year unveiled the aforementioned Viverse platform, a digital ecosystem of sorts where users could freely explore interconnected worlds and engage in a host of different activities.
The upcoming smartphone is sure to have some form of integration with this open-sourced metaverse platform.