HTC has a fitness-focused VR headset called Vive Air and here’s what it looks like

Some images of HTC’s fitness-focused virtual reality (VR) headset, called HTC Vive Air, has been leaked online. Product details were published in the World Design Guide, and spotted by Endgadget, as a part of its annual awards. It is expected that the HTC Vive Air should be announced, officially, at HTC’s upcoming ViveCon 2021 that is scheduled for May 11 and May 12.

The World Design Guide’s website describes the Vive Air as a device that has been specially designed for virtual fitness and is optimsed for “high-intensity with long use”. The VR headset is made of fast-drying knitted fabrics that have been inspired by sports shoes which are supposed to be lightweight and breathable. There is also a quick-release feature that allows these soft, washable components to be easily removed. According to the World Design Guide, the Vive Air is going to launch sometime in 2021.

HTC’s Vive Air appears to be a well-positioned product right now given the ongoing global pandemic and lockdowns as VR is becoming more and more popular for fitness activities. As the creator of the popular VR workout app Supernatural told The Verge, “fitness is a killer use case for VR” and that workout software “will be the first driving force of mass adoption [of virtual reality] through a normal consumer audience”. So, a comfortable, lightweight VR headset that is washable seems like a great proposition.

HTC’s original Vive headset was launched in 2016 and was at the helm then, but since it has been overtaken, particularly in terms of hardware, by the likes of Oculus. So, focusing on a specific use-case, like fitness, might be a smart move for HTC.