Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturer, HTC, has launched its Viverse phone. The HTC Desire 22 Pro is designed to perform metaverse activities and has NFT functionality.
The phone will have an app that will allow owners to create their virtual spaces and buy NFTs in the digital marketplace. It comes with an in-built crypto wallet for products that work on the Ethereum and Polygon networks, and It will also host compatible apps that can run metaverse content.
The phone is in sync with HTC’s lightweight Vive Flow VR headset through HDCP 2.2 network, enabling users to ‘wirelessly mirror content’ to the headset and a Manager app that lets them set up the VR hardware.
This phone is the first of its kind. According to the Global Head of Product at HTC, Shen Ye,
“Desire 22 Pro opens new immersive experiences as the perfect partner for VIVE Flow – whether it’s meeting colleagues in VR, or enjoying your private cinema anywhere you are.”
According to details on the company’s website, the phone is midrange, and specs include a ‘6.6-inch Gorilla Glass screen, 20:9, FHD+ of 1080 x 2412-pixel resolution with 120 Hz refresh rate. Its RAM storage is 8 GB, while the ROM is 128 GB plus a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G.
The battery is a 4,520 mAh fast-charge and has a wireless charging ability. In addition, it has several cameras and plenty of video shooting features.
HTC’s interest in crypto tech dates back to 2018 when it produced the Exodus 1 smartphone, which had an in-built crypto hardware wallet and a full bitcoin node. Then several smaller Exodus 1s followed.
However, HTC shifted focus to its Vive VR headsets, giving space for smartphone rivals. Regardless, Desire 22 Pro will be the first metaverse smartphone if the product is available before HTC rivals catch up.