Vive Pre, HTC’s Latest Dev Kit, Has A Forward Looking Innovation

HTC has revealed a new dev kit for the Vive at this year’s CES. Interestingly enough, this iteration has a new feature that just may grab Sony’s and Oculus’ attention.

Named the Vive Pre, the new dev kit has a feature cribbed from mobile devices; a front facing camera. The Pre already demonstrates canny use of the camera, instructing users when they are stepping out of the designated demo space. It does this by giving users a fair projection of the world outside as they skirt the boundaries. There is also a chaperone mode, which allows you to see the outside world via the camera.

The demo unit on the CES floor was impressive enough for our source to claim it has the best VR experience out of its competitors. For now, its unclear how much of this will also be ready for the final consumer Vive, or for any of its games or apps.

Are you intrigued by this new Vive feature? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.