HTC has made it clear in the past that the HTC Vive will be a high-end virtual reality headset, but if new reports are to be believed, it could wind up setting consumers back a whopping $1,500.
According to a report from Focus Taiwan, the Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturer will release its first VR headset for NT$50,000, which roughly converts to around $1,500. The foreign brokerages that Focus Taiwan list as their sources have reportedly said that due to this high pricing, HTC can expect to sell no more than 1 million units of the Vive, with its predicted price tag exceeding the average monthly salary of Taiwanese citizens, which falls well below the mark at NT$22,000.
With HTC Vive pre-orders set to begin on February 29th, it’s only a matter of time before we learn the actual pricing of the headset, but considering the negative reaction to the Oculus Rift’s $599 price, it retailing for $1,500 would be a sure fire way to have its launch greeted by a chorus of derisive snorts.
Though HTC is looking at some more upmarket avenues for the implementation of its headset, with the company reportedly looking at working with Audi in order to provide a virtual reality experience for prospective auto buyers, the vast majority of the Vive’s marketing has been focused upon its implementation in video games – which was inevitable given Valve’s involvement in its development and its implementation of a SteamOS – and it’s difficult to imagine this audience shelling out $1,500.
If this report is true, that would actually make the Oculus Rift the considerably cheaper option when it comes virtual reality. Given that the Rift’s high price point has led many to reconsider the claim that 2016 would be the year VR entered the mainstream, Vive retailing for almost three times the amount of its competitor would
