HTC announced a number of new smartphones at Mobile World Congress – while sidestepping the flagship battle that involved LG, Samsung and Xiaomi – and also updated on the progress of its virtual reality efforts.

The highest specification device was the previously-rumoured One X9, and HTC spared no effort in talking-up its design characteristics. The company said that it “pulls through the look and feel of high end silk, creating a softer, warmer and more luxurious finish to the phone”.

It has a 5.5-inch full HD screen, and has 13MP rear and 5MP front cameras. Availability in North Asia and EMEA is scheduled for later this month.

Also unveiled were three devices in the company’s mid-range Desire line: 530, 630 and 825.

The company said that it is using “specially designed spray nozzles and different settings of pressure and paint viscosity” to give the polycarbonate-bodied devices a unique finish. Features differ across the range, with the higher-spec smartphones (Desire 630 and 825) including “Hi-Res Audio” and 13MP main cameras.

Finally, the company detailed the consumer edition of its Vive virtual reality system, developed in partnership with entertainment software and technology company Valve.

The device is priced at $799, and for a limited time ships with two “fully-fledged VR experiences”. It is described as “the first complete VR solution”, including two wireless VR controllers, room scale movement sensors, and head-mounted display with built in camera and phone.

According to VentureBeat, HTC sold more than 15,000 units when the device became available for pre-order this week.