Articles about AR

Anyone who wants a HoloLens 2 will need to act fast if they are to get their hands on one. Microsoft has confirmed that production of the augmented reality headset has ended in what will be seen by many as something of a mercy killing.

After eight years and two models, Microsoft has seemingly given up on HoloLens. Once current stocks run out, the second-hand market will be the only way to get hold of one, and there are no plans for a follow-up device.

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Last week, Meta officially took the wraps off Quest 3, its next gen VR product. Today at its World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC), Apple showed us the long rumored headset it's been working on for years. If you were expecting a VR device designed to take on Meta, you're going to be disappointed. What Apple has come up with is something incredible, but whether you'll want to buy it is another matter.

Apple's Vision Pro is a mixed reality headset that overlays apps on the real world, but there's more to it than just that. There's a reason that Apple has filed over 5000 patents to protect the technology inside it.

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After many years of speculation, Apple’s entrance into the VR/AR market is finally imminent. CEO Tim Cook hinted in an interview last month that he is "incredibly excited about AR" and to "stay tuned" to see what Apple has to offer. The Board has allegedly tested a headset out. The latest rumors suggest that Apple will unveil something by January 2023.

Whenever it happens, Apple releasing some sort of VR/AR device will be an absolute game changer for the industry. Apple moves markets. Its technology is always excellent. It knows how to drive mass appeal. Apple’s headset will, without a doubt, help push XR to widespread adoption, and maybe not in ways you’d expect. When people think of Apple products, their mind typically goes to consumer technology -- but it’s actually the enterprise that will likely come first in reaping the benefits of this new headset.

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Remote work isn't going anywhere. The number of major companies announcing plans to allow their employees to work from home into the future continues to grow every week as Covid-19 prolongs the time away from the office and remote employees realize an improved work/life balance.

A switch to permanent remote work will also mean changes to the technology we use to work. Existing solutions were utilized early in the pandemic when there weren’t any other options, but as the projected time at home continued to increase it was clear that purpose-built solutions were needed to make an entirely remote office function properly.

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The US Army has revealed that Microsoft has won a contract worth $480 million to supply prototype augmented reality equipment. The deal could see the Army purchasing 100,000 HoloLens headsets from the company.

Microsoft says the deal is an extension of its existing relationship with the Department of Defense. The company has previously faced criticism from its employees for bidding for military contracts, but it responded by saying it believed that those defending the US should have access to the best technology. Winning this latest contract -- the aim of which is to "increase lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide and engage before the enemy" -- is likely to face similar criticism.

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First, let’s clarify the difference between Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR). Virtual Reality (VR) blocks out the real world and immerses the user in a digital experience. Augmented Reality (AR) adds a layer of interactive digital elements on top of the real world. Or in simpler terms, AR can be defined as a technology which overlays a computer-generated image on a user’s view of the real world. The question is: when will we begin to see more Enterprise adoption of AR?

Companies are eager to jump on the AR bandwagon but are still unclear how to best use AR to drive sales around their product, improve efficiencies for their operations. Additional unknowns include how much it will cost to enhance the B2C/B2B experience and when companies could expect to see a return on their investment.

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