Positional-tracking mobile VR and a new Ghost In Shell experience arrive this June exclusively in Japan.
Earlier this morning HTC announced that a brand new mobile virtual reality headset powered by their upcoming flagship model smartphone, the HTC U11, will be coming to Japanese consumers this June alongside a Ghost in the Shell tie-in experience.
Labeled the HTC Link, the head-mounted-display will allow users to move freely within a VR space utilizing an undisclosed form of ‘inside-out tracking’ capable of supporting six degrees-of-freedom, a level of tracking previously unheard of in the world of mobile VR. The HTC U11, officially announced earlier this month, powers the system while remaining outside the HMD and connected via USB Type-C. That’s because the Link actually uses its own built-in set of 3.6 inch 1080 x 1200 LCD panels with 90Hz refresh rates. This allows for a sizable 110-degree field-of-view, an attractive option when compared to other choices such as the 96-degrees of the Samsung Gear VR or the 90-degrees of the Google Daydream View.
It appears as though they did away with the lighthouse tracking system originally used for the Vive in favor of a standalone camera and an array of tracking lights attached to the headset. Two controllers come bundled with the Link as well, both of which featuring their own sets of tracking lights similar in appearance to the ‘pickle’ controllers for the PSVR.
To support the release of the upcoming hardware HTC partnered with the popular Ghost In The Shell franchise to bring audiences a brand new cyber punk VR experience based on the iconic anime series. Entitled Ghost in the Shell ARISE, the VR tie-in will launch alongside the Link system this June in Japan. No specifics on what type of futuristic action we can expect as of yet, although HTC made it clear in their press release that they will be supporting the new system with a healthy release of additional quality content.
With both HTC and Lenovo using last weeks Google I/O conference to announce plans for standalone VR headsets capable of inside-out tracking on the Google Daydream platform, it’s shaping up to be a busy couple of years for mobile VR & AR.
Once again reports are indicating that the HTC Link will unfortunately be a Japanese exclusive. You can check out some specs of the killer headset you’ll never have below (Provided by MoguraVR):
| Head Mount Display Size | Approximately 197.69 mm (width) x 116.61 mm (height) x 167.33 mm (depth) |
| Head mount display weight | 554 g (provisional value) * USB (Type-C) Including Y cable |
| Viewing angle | About 110 degrees |
| Head mounted display battery | About 2,800 mAh |
| display | Approximately 3.6 inch Amortret liquid crystal X 2 (1080 x 1200 pixels each, 90 Hz refresh rate) |
| External connection | USB (Type-C) Y cable, 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Bundled items | • 1 stereo camera • 2 6 DoF controllers • 1 LED marker for HMD • 2 straps for controller • 4 alkaline AA batteries • 1 earphone |
| Compatible models | HTC U 11 |
