CES 2018: HTC Debuts Vive Pro VR Headset With Built-In Headphones and Higher Resolution

At this year's Consumer Electronics Show, HTC introduced a next-generation virtual reality headset, the HTC Vive Pro. The Vive Pro features two OLED displays with a resolution of 2880 x 1600 and 615 pixels per inch, a 78 percent increase from the 2160 x 1200 resolution of the current Vive headset.

HTC says the higher resolution will bring sharper text and graphics for an improved overall experience.

The Vive Pro is designed to be lighter than the existing Vive, with integrated high-performance headphones and a more comfortable headstrap with a sizing dial. Dual microphones and active noice cancellation improve communication, and dual front-facing cameras are included, too.

HTC is also introducing a new Vive Wireless Adaptor which to bring wireless VR headset integration that will work with both the Vive and the Vive Pro.

HTC didn't provide pricing or release date details on its new Vive Pro headset, but says additional information will be introduced in the future.

Apple is not yet competing in the AR/VR wearable space with companies like HTC and Facebook/Oculus, but the company is rumored to be hard at work on its own augmented reality headset or smart glasses. Apple's headset is still at least a year away, but it's said to include a dedicated display, a built-in processor, and an "rOS" operating system.

It's possible Apple's headset will include some virtual reality elements as Apple recently purchased VRvana, a startup that developed a mixed reality headset called Totem. Totem, never released to the public, was designed to combine both augmented and virtual reality technologies in a single headset.