HTC unveil their latest slimline VR glasses to conquer the Metaverse
VR headsets are getting smaller and slimmer and it's only a matter of time now before we see the first VR glasses.
Key takeaways
- Hands on with the Vive Flow The new metaverse space is apparently called Viveport Verse.
- At the moment though it’s unclear how this new Viveport Verse space would differ from the enterprise-focused Vive Sync experience though.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2021) 'HTC unveil their latest slimline VR glasses to conquer the Metaverse', 311 Institute, 30 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/htc-unveil-their-latest-slimline-vr-glasses-to-conquer-the-metaverse/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
In the future today’s big and bulky Virtual Reality (VR) headsets will just be a pair of glasses, until that is the images are just beamed straight into your eyes Minority Report style or beamed directly into our brains. And now, after releases and teasers from Facebook and Panasonic, HTC have announced they’re planning to release a new slimline VR headset and that they’re also working on their own metaverse-like virtual world, according to a report from Protocol.
Let’s start first with that new headset. It’s reportedly a standalone VR headset no larger than a pair of sports glasses called the Vive Flow and is intended to be a media consumption device “with access to some casual gaming,” Protocol says. However, it won’t ship with controllers and will be less powerful than the Oculus Quest 2, Protocol reports.
Hands on with the Vive Flow
The new metaverse space is apparently called Viveport Verse. According to a site about the service, you’ll be able to make your own 3D avatar and explore “a variety of events,” but the space will also have an “NFT Showroom” and user-generated content “Available Soon.” You also won’t need a VR device to visit Vivepoint Verse though sicne the website says it will be compatible with desktop devices, laptops, mobile devices, tablets, and VR headsets. Which is handy.
At the moment though it’s unclear how this new Viveport Verse space would differ from the enterprise-focused Vive Sync experience though. It seems like Viveport Verse could be more of a series of virtual worlds of many kinds, perhaps similar to Facebook’s Horizon Worlds, as opposed to Sync’s virtual meeting spaces intended for work.
What this means for your organisation
Comfort drives adoption.
Bulky headsets limit how long people use VR. Glasses-sized devices remove much of that barrier. Expect wider use for media and work.
Worlds work across devices.
Virtual spaces that run on phones, laptops and headsets reach far more people. Brands need not wait for mass headset ownership. Design experiences for every screen.
Glasses become a device category.
AI glasses and VR glasses are converging into a new mass device. That opens a new channel for content and services. Watch which form factor wins.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Which of our services would suit lightweight VR glasses?
- Should we build virtual experiences that work on any device?
- How will smart glasses change customer engagement?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
VR headsets are getting smaller and slimmer and it's only a matter of time now before we see the first VR glasses.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on virtual worlds and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- according to a report from Protocol protocol.com
- site about the service metaverse-prod-1-app.viveportverse.com
- from the enterprise-focused Vive Sync sync.vive.com
- Facebook’s Horizon Worlds oculus.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 30 November 2021. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2021). HTC unveil their latest slimline VR glasses to conquer the Metaverse. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/htc-unveil-their-latest-slimline-vr-glasses-to-conquer-the-metaverse/
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