Barcelona — HTC’s presence at MWC 2019 is interesting to say the least. While the manufacturer is showcasing new products in mobile and VR, the manufacturer’s primary focus is in 5G. HTC announced a 5G smart hub, that it claims will provide industry standard speeds for up to 20 users, as well as other features, including 4K video streaming and low-latency gaming.
The HTC 5G hub features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip as well as Qualcomm’s 60GHz Wi-Fi chip and the 2×2 Wi-Fi 6-ready chip for forward-looking technological compatibility. The device also features a 5-inch (720 x 1280) display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB internal storage. Android 9 Pie, USB-C, and a 7,660 mAh battery for easy on-the-go use and high-speed encryption for business users.
HTC’s 5G Hub will be available through U.S. carriers, including Sprint starting in the second quarter of 2019. Other global partners include EE and Three in the U.K., Deutsche Telekom in Germany, Sunrise in Switzerland, and Elisa in Finland. HTC has not yet announced a price for the hub.
HTC’s booth featured several VR demos powered by the 5G hub and the new Vive Focus Plus headset, including the Immersive factory and Sim for Health. The later first demo simulates work in a glass factory, while the latter is a nurse’s training session. Many of the demos were intended for professional simulations, rather than personal gaming content.
The Vive Focus Plus is a standalone headset runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 Mobile VR platform and features a 4K AMOLED display and two ultrasonic 6DoF controllers.
HTC has not divulged pricing for its new headset, but the original original Vive Focus sells for $599 for a rough estimate. Such a headset, may be slightly more expensive or may be sold in enterprise bundles for an overall cheaper price.
