They license out their lighthouse tech to anyone interested and who can show some competency to developing a product.
In this sense their relation ship with HTC is at most just a little bit closer than with pimax.
Their goal is to allow as many as possible to jump on this bandwagon for tracking and comforim means you can use a vive controller a set of pimax lighthouses and a valve hmd. All should be fully compatible with each other.
Why HTC is considered special is simply because they have been first and so far only contender.
Although who will say how long HTC will station business at all.
And since they don't really own their VR tech, valve does, they have surprisingly little to offer a larger party interested in jumping on the bandwagon, when valve just gives them the same access if they just prove their level of competence and interest.
