HTC Vive Pre-Orders Cancelled
HTC has hit a minor bump with the delivery of its virtual reality device, the Vive, after some HTC Vive pre-orders were unexpectedly cancelled last week. The company is already working to resolve the issues.
Some customers reported receiving an email telling them their month-old orders have been cancelled. Affected customers shared that HTC's customer support has confirmed they've missed out on first wave units.
Customers shared on Reddit how their credit cards were declined. HTC later revealed in a statement that the issue, which affects a "limited number of individuals," was due to "processing issues with financial institutions."
"While fulfilling this week's orders for HTC Vive, a limited number of individuals were affected by auto cancellations due to processing issues with financial institutions," HTC said in a statement. "We're actively working to resolve this, and have already reinstated orders for some customers. We want to assure our customers that we'll work with them to process their payment so they can receive their Vive when they were expecting it. If you pre-ordered a Vive, we encourage you to contact your financial institution to notify them of upcoming charges."
HTC's competitor, Oculus, is also facing problems of its own. The company has been forced to delay shipping of its Oculus Rift to customers who pre-ordered due to "unexpected component shortage." The company told affected customers in an email that they will be informed of their new shipping date on April 12.
The PlayStation VR from Sony has also been delayed. It was originally scheduled to launch in the first half of this year. However, Sony has pushed back the device's release date to October, when sufficient units and software will become available.
Among the three, the HTC Vive is the most expensive, with its base configuration selling at $799. The Oculus Rift costs $599, while the PlayStation VR can be bought for $399. The Vive and the Oculus Rift needs a PC to run, while Sony's device requires a PS4 to work.