HTC has declared its Viverse platform will be the YouTube for VR content, but while it doesn’t support the Apple Vision Pro at the moment, users could one day turn to Viverse Worlds for new immersive experiences.
Enjoying virtual reality experiences is a somewhat nonlinear experience. While Apple Vision Pro users can easily get content from the App Store and from Apple-curated apps, accessing other online VR content requires a bit of effort.
This is not a problem just felt by Apple Vision Pro users, as each VR headset ecosystem has its own siloed content. You aren’t able to access stuff made just for the Meta Quest headset line on the Apple Vision Pro, for example.
Making content available by the browser is also not a trivial exercise either, both for the creator and for the viewer. For its part, Apple does allow WebXR support to be enabled in Safari on the Apple Vision Pro, but finding and using the content isn’t a straightforward matter.
YouTube, but for 3D
In a bid to try and make VR more of a cross-platform thing, HTC has stepped into the arena with its Viverse Worlds spatial computing platform. Directly likening it to YouTube’s democratization of video hosting, Viverse Worlds aims to make it easy to discover and post 3D content online, which on Mac is chiefly through Safari.
The kinds of content discoverable on the platform includes web-based games and VR experiences, as well as 3D Gaussian Splatting environments. There are also opportunities to host interactive 3D manuals, immersive e-commerce showcases, and animated website displays.
This is content that can be viewed via an iFrame on a browser on a desktop PC or Mac, a mobile device with a compatible browser, or a VR headset. Viverse Worlds will be a central space for finding content, but it could also be inserted into a webpage using an iFrame.
With this latter element, headsets like the Apple Vision Pro will eventually be able to access the immersive experiences from a company or project’s website. As one example, a car manufacturer could use the platform so that Apple Vision Pro users can experience the inside of a vehicle to tempt them into a purchase.
However, it’s not something that can be done with the Apple Vision Pro at the moment.
“We don’t currently support AVP, but it’s a major priority,” a HTC spokesperson said to AppleInsider. “We plan to enable AVP native integration via VisionOS SDK and RealityKit. We’ll keep you updated as we get closer!”
Code-free, cross-platform
One of the big parts of the platform is that it aims to make 3D content as easy to produce as possible for creators. This includes Viverse Create’s web builder and PlayCanvas extension, which will enable the creation of interactive multiplayer worlds.
Support for Wonderland Engine and Unity for Web is also included, with features including login authentication, avatars, and leaderboards working across content made with different tools.
These will be created in a system that doesn’t necessarily need code at all, excluding possibly inserting an iFrame into a webpage.
The creators will be able to import and add models to their creations. Millions of free models will be available via an integration with the Sketchfab library, with creators not needing to create or move content to support Viverse Worlds either.
Creator pages will allow users to subscribe and stay up to date with changes and new content, and to browse a creator’s library of experiences and models.
HTC also adds that the content will be viewable on many devices without requiring a lot of computing power to do so.
The service will host the content, which is then piped out to the user for viewing using what is referred to as “Polygon Streaming.” The system is claimed to deliver 3D models at a high fidelity with a low amount of bandwidth, and streaming and rendering only elements that are visible to the users.
By contrast, WebXR content typically requires complete models to be downloaded fully to be viewed in high-quality 3D. A process that is also computationally expensive.
From headset rival to service provider
The move by HTC to introduce Viverse Worlds as a platform-agnostic one-stop shop for 3D experiences is quite a shrewd one for the company. While it has had some success with its Vive headsets, this could be an opportunity that has a much greater reach across the industry if it takes off.
By being the venue for experiences, and by working with pretty much any headset or device on the market, it has the potential to get a massive audience. And, just like YouTube and other places with large numbers of users, it could potentially earn revenue in a variety of ways.
While there is a marketplace on the service, it’s currently paid for by points earned by going through activities. But at the same time, it’s not hard to imagine charging real money for the digital assets down the road.
Then there are opportunities for advertising, and more importantly, working with brands. A sponsored experience could earn HTC a lot if it’s heavily viewed, especially if it’s with the right high-paying brand.
This is a concept that has been around on other platforms trying to offer their own version of the so-called Metaverse.
While largely a game, Fortnite by Epic Games is frequently used for sponsored events and specially-created sponsored content. The same can be said for Roblox, with sponsored content production being a way for creators to earn revenue from the platform.
It wouldn’t be hard to imagine Viverse Worlds going down the same sort of monetization strategy at some point. But, for the moment, it seems to be ignoring that in favor of quickly racking up user counts.
It’s still too early to say whether the average Apple Vision Pro user will be drawn away from Apple’s offerings. But it certainly has the ambition to do just that, if HTC can get the ball rolling early and to support the Apple Vision Pro sooner rather than later.
