SEATTLE, Nov. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — HTC VIVE®, the leader in premium virtual reality (VR), announced today a host of new and enhanced capabilities available now for the VIVE Focus Plus, the all-in-one headset designed with the enterprise in mind. In the biggest update since the headset came to market in 2019, the features rolled out today specifically address the key operational and security concerns of businesses worldwide in deploying VR solutions.

Notably, the support of device management solutions by VMware and MobileIron enables organizations to remotely manage devices, applications and settings, and use existing licenses—or obtain them directly—with no middle-man applications or portals required. Users can also connect to corporate networks remotely using built-in VPN, or stay offline if needed, to comply with security regulations.

“We are seeing a marked increase in demand for commercial VR solutions all over the world due to remote work requirements, and we know that security and manageability is critical to the continued successful adoption of Vive Focus Plus in the enterprise environment,” said Dan O’Brien, Head of VIVE Enterprise Solutions, HTC VIVE. “By supporting VPN, our customers will be able to securely collaborate on projects using VR no matter where in the world they are, with the proven enterprise expertise of our partners VMware and MobileIron.”

Enterprise updates to the Vive Focus Plus include:

• Mobile device management by VMWare and MobileIron for comprehensive enterprise control
• Addition of in-built VPN and offline operation capability for secure remote use
• Addition of screen recording functionality, for replay of training or remote collaboration in VR and on TVs, tablets, and PCs.
• Enhanced screen sharing with Miracast™ – share the VR screen to Windows 10 PCs, TVs, and tablets that support the Miracast™standard.
• Unrestricted Kiosk Mode turns Vive Focus Plus into a fixed-purpose device out of the box, enabling app restriction and hiding distractions like alerts and other apps, or navigation.

“To address the growing industry and subsequent IT challenges associated with deploying VR in the enterprise, VMware is excited to have partnered with HTC to deliver scalable management and app delivery for Vive Focus Plus. With our Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management (UEM) platform, Vive Focus Plus customers will be able to easily enroll and configure headsets, deliver immersive VR experiences to employees, and protect data with controls and policies—all from a single console,” said Shankar Iyer, Senior Vice President and General Manager, End-User Computing, VMware.

“Virtual reality is changing the way businesses and organizations operate in our quickly-changing world,” said Bernhard Carli, Director Business Development, MobileIron. “The new capabilities offered on Vive Focus Plus in partnership with MobileIron will allow such enterprises to take control of their devices in a secure, mobile-centric way that supports productivity.”

About HTC VIVE Focus Plus and VIVE WAVE
Vive Focus Plus is a standalone headset designed to meet the needs of enterprise customers worldwide, with Fresnel lenses to offer a sharper visual and reduced screen door effect, dual 6DoF controllers for seamless interaction with virtual environments, increased comfort for extended VR sessions, and an easier way to port existing PC VR content while making it physically more portable and natural to use.

The headset is powered by the VIVE WAVE™ platform, which also received a substantial update to its SDK this month. The upgraded SDK (v. 3.2) includes:

• Streamlined development processes for XR applications using the Wave Unity XR Plugin for the latest Unity versions (2019.4+) or the new Wave plugins for Unreal Engine 4.24 & 4.25
• Reduced development iteration time using new Bundle Preview & Shader Stripping tools
• Hand tracking and gesture API
• Passthrough Support via new APIs, which allow a user to see the real world with a touch of a button
• Adaptive Quality and Foveated Rendering are now enabled by default and can be modified in the WaveVR settings

To learn more go to: https://enterprise.vive.com/us/product/focus-plus/

About HTC VIVE
HTC VIVE is the premier virtual reality (VR) platform and ecosystem that creates true-to-life VR experiences for businesses and consumers. The VIVE ecosystem is built around premium VR hardware, software, and content. The VIVE business encompasses best-in-class XR hardware; VIVEPORT platform and app store; VIVE Enterprise Solutions for business customers; VIVE X, a $100M VR business accelerator; VIVE STUDIOS, an entertainment, gaming, and enterprise content studio; and VIVE ARTS for cultural initiatives. For more information on VIVE, please visit www.vive.com.

HTC, VIVE, the HTC logo, and the VIVE logo are the trademarks of HTC Corporation. All other names of companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE HTC VIVE