Microsoft hasn’t forgotten about HoloLens

As the mixed-reality arena heats up following Apple’s reveal of the Vision Pro, Microsoft is keen to show it hasn’t forgotten about HoloLens.

In recent months, there have been mixed reports about Microsoft's mixed reality business. Initially, there were concerns when Congress halted a $22 million Pentagon contract for custom HoloLens headsets, which was followed by layoffs and the closure of the AltspaceVR social platform.

However, Microsoft recently reaffirmed its...

16 June 2023 | Enterprise

Mark Gurman: Don’t expect a cheaper Vision Pro for several years

Apple's new Vision Pro mixed-reality headset has garnered positive attention, but its steep price has raised concerns about its potential sales.

Revealed at WWDC 2023, the Vision Pro marks Apple's entry into a new product category since the Apple Watch in 2015. Priced at $3,500, the headset is more than three times the cost of Meta's Quest Pro, which retails for $999.

While Meta offers a more affordable option with the Quest 3 headset priced at $499, Apple is reportedly...

12 June 2023 | Applications

Apple’s mixed-reality headset will use magnetic batteries

Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset will feature a unique magnetic port for attaching a battery pack.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the external battery pack will have a proprietary connector on one end that attaches to the headset itself. The magnetic connector will be round-tipped and will lock into the port by the user turning it.

Each battery pack will offer just two hours of battery life. The magnetic connection will enable users to quickly and securely...

24 April 2023 | Applications

Apple open-source code references ‘realityOS’

A reference to realityOS has been spotted in Apple’s open-source code.

RealityOS is the operating system that Apple is widely expected to use on its upcoming mixed-reality headset. However, it may end up being named xrOS (a reference to “extended reality”) when it reaches consumers’ faces.

This week, Apple posted various bits of code on GitHub with numerous references to realityOS:

https://twitter.com/aaronp613/status/1636096450097721344

Apple’s...

16 March 2023 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Apple’s AR/VR headset plan causes internal divisions

Internal divisions are reportedly arising at Apple over its much-anticipated AR/VR headset.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams are said to be pushing to launch the headset as soon as possible, even if its design isn’t optimal.

Designers at Apple are said to have disagreed with their leadership and want to wait until it's feasible to launch a product that is lighter and less expensive. Current price estimates for the headset are between $2,000 and...

13 March 2023 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

‘Metaverse’ is a contender for Oxford’s Word of the Year

“Metaverse” is among the leading three contenders for Oxford’s Word of the Year (WotY). 

The metaverse is an unsurprising inclusion for WotY—not everyone understands it, but most will have at least heard the term.

Facebook changing its company name to Meta towards the end of 2021 undoubtedly led to increased awareness of the metaverse. Over the last year, the word has been thrown around a little too easily.

There is still some confusion around what...

23 November 2022 | Applications

Apple’s AR glasses may not debut until 2026

A leading analyst has claimed that Apple’s first augmented reality (AR) glasses may have slipped two years to 2026.

“We now expect the AR Glass to be postponed to 2025-2026, due to design issues,” wrote Haitong International Tech Research’s Jeff Pu in an email to MarketWatch.

Just five months ago, Pu said that Apple’s AR glasses could be announced in 2024.

Back in 2013, Google Glass showed the world an exciting vision for a ubiquitous future of...

8 November 2022 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Zuckerberg believes Meta’s duty is to promote an open metaverse

During yesterday’s annual Meta keynote, CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared his belief that the metaverse must be open.

Zuckerberg called out closed ecosystems—a clear dig at Apple, without mentioning the company directly.

“Closed ecosystems focus on tight control and integration to create unique experiences and lock-in, although most of that value ends up flowing to the platform over time,” explained Zuckerberg.

“Open ecosystems create value and grow through...

12 October 2022 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Nreal brings its Air AR glasses to the US, now with iOS support

Nreal has launched its Air augmented reality glasses in the US, and now they play nicely with iOS.

The company’s Nreal Air glasses have been available in the UK since May. When it launched, the glasses featured Android support and could mirror the screens of laptops but anyone in the Apple ecosystem was left out of the AR party.

Nreal is shipping a new adapter for its US launch that offers mirroring for iOS devices. Users of Android devices will still have access to...

28 September 2022 | Consumer IoT & Wearables

Analyst claims Apple’s mixed reality headset is delayed

The much-anticipated mixed reality headset from Apple is to be delayed, according to a leading analyst.

Apple is rarely first to any new technology but will bide its time, watch the early mistakes of rivals, and then launch a product that’s often a lot more polished. Many are, rightly or wrongly, of the opinion that most new technologies aren’t truly ready for mainstream adoption until Apple throws its $2.7 trillion weight behind it.

While AR/VR headsets like those...

13 April 2022 | Consumer IoT & Wearables