Microsoft is probably working on a new Hololens

Image: Microsoft

Hololens have already been declared dead. For companies that have invested in Microsoft’s AR ecosystem, this will be a bitter blow. But Microsoft is probably still working on an AR headset.

Last year, Microsoft AR headset hololens.Followed by Hololens co-creator Alex Kipman leaves In June 2022, Business Insider announced that Hololens 3 ‘No roadmap to speak of’.

Microsoft is instead focusing on fulfilling its Military Hololens (IVAS) contract with the US military, sources said. But military hololens also have major problems.

But before leaving his longtime employer, Kipman Refuted Hololens 3 Cancellation Rumorsand a recent statement from his successor Scott Evans underscores that point. I hinted.

New Hololens ‘not every two years’

“We’re looking for the right design points to make it a meaningful update. They want a successor device that allows for an even higher return on investment,” Evans said.

After all, target enterprise customers for AR headsets don’t want to replace their devices every two years for a little more power. Evans said Microsoft often hears from enterprise customers that they don’t want to go through his usual two-year retail cycle.

“They don’t need a successor yet, but they want to know that one will be available when the time is right.”

Evans said Microsoft is currently working on improvements in all basic hardware areas. This includes Display, tracking, sensors, battery capacityHowever, the term “update” may imply that it’s not a big hardware leap at this point. Either way, Evans doesn’t mention the name “Hololens 3.” Hololens 2 he released in November 2019.

Evans said lessons learned from the IVAS military variant have also been incorporated into the development. He said the AR headset has its own specifications for the US Army. But testing by the military’s early adopters, he said, is better suited to simultaneously identify improvements in other cheaper models, which Evans calls a “trickle-down effect” in development. increase.

Microsoft is focused on XR software, but may continue to do work on hardware

Evans’ recent comments contradict the assumption that Microsoft is putting its own XR strategy on hold, especially when it comes to new hardware development.new in meta quest pro Mixed Reality Headsets, Microsoft made a broad announcement. Collaboration with Meta for Windows and Office applicationsso it is that Most Valuable Software for Potentially Competing Products.

Additionally, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said: Microsoft’s Metaverse strategy focuses on softwareThere used to be rumors that Microsoft could work with Samsung on their new XR headsets, but It is said that the project has already been canceledSamsung is now supposed to do Next year, it will introduce a new XR headset alone.

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