HTC announced a new collection of software this week called the Vive XR Suite today, which will be available as a bundle from Q3 2020. The suite includes five different apps, four of which feature partnerships with existing platforms, such as Engage, VRChat, and the Museum of Other Realities.
At its “Journey into the Next Normal” event this week, HTC announced the Vive XR Suite, which will launch in China in Q3 2020 and other regions throughout the year. The five included applications are called Vive Sync, Vive Sessions, Vive Campus, Vive Social, and Vive Museum. HTC launched Vive Sync in a free open beta in April, however the other four apps are all part of partnerships with prominent companies in the VR industry. These apps will essentially use existing platforms to offer Vive-branded versions and alternatives similar to white labeling, available as part of the suite.
The companies working with HTC on the suite applications are Engage, VirBELA, VRChat, and the Museum of Other Realities, presumably branded as Vive Sessions, Vive Campus, Vive Social, and Vive Museum respectively.
There will be both a free ‘lite’ version of the suite and then a premium ‘pro’ subscription with additional “enterprise/creator level capabilities and commercial use licenses.” All of the apps will also work on many devices, not just VR headsets. Despite the name, the Vive XR Suite will be fully available for PC and laptops and select suite applications will also support smartphones. However, while you don’t need VR technology to use the suite, HTC says that for a “superior immersive experience, PC VR or standalone VR devices would be recommended.”
The Vive XR Suite will be “compatible with all leading VR platforms and devices” and available to purchase as a subscription service on the Viveport store. HTC says that beta versions of the apps will be available gradually before a full launch of the service in Q3 2020.
