What you need to know
- HTC Vive users can now take their broken, out-of-warranty headsets and accessories to the nearest iFixit for a quick repair.
- HTC and iFixit will also be providing detailed guides for folks wanting to do repairs themselves, invoking the Right to Repair.
- The announcement comes ahead of Vivecon 2021, where new Vive headsets are anticipated to be announced.
HTC and iFixit have announced a formal partnership to make it considerably easier for HTC Vive owners to get their headsets repaired. HTC Vive owners who find their headsets broken and out-of-warranty can stop by their local iFixit store, where parts will be made readily available for a range of popular HTC Vive products. Supported product repairs include HTC Vive CE and Vive Pro headsets, as well as the best Vive accessories like the Vive Wireless Adapter, Vive trackers, and other accessories such as replacement cables and wall mounts.
iFixit is also offering up repair guides for folks who want to DIY repair their headsets or controllers. That's a huge deal in a world where the Right to Repair electronic devices are often a very negative experience for consumers. This makes HTC the first VR manufacturer to support out-of-warranty repairs in such a direct way. That's particularly important since Vive headsets are often more expensive upfront than ones from Oculus.
It's been some time since HTC launched a new headset, but this news follows leaks of new HTC Vive headsets coming sometime this year. We're expecting the announcement of new headsets at Vivecon 2021, which takes place on May 11-12. HTC has been losing PC VR market share to competitors like Oculus and Valve over the past year and will likely use these new repair methods as a way of drawing consumers in who might be looking to make a long-term VR investment versus a quick upgrade.
