Microsoft debuts ARM-powered HoloLens 2: more comfortable, lighter, and with a field of view twice as big as its predecessor's; preorder for $3,500
Today, at MWC 2019 … Sam Rutherford / Gizmodo : Microsoft's Sending a Confusing Message With Its HoloLens 2 Brian Heater / TechCrunch : Microsoft and Trimble made a hardhat with HoloLens built-in David Nield / TechRadar.com : Leaked images show off Microsoft's HoloLens 2 a few hours early Elizabeth Schulze / CNBC : Microsoft launches HoloLens 2 mixed-reality headset, betting on holograms in the workplace Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat : Microsoft's Azure Kinect is a $399 dev kit for computer vision and speech solutions Stuart Miles / Pocket-lint : Microsoft HoloLens 2 available for pre-order: Lighter, higher-resolution and $3.5K Dina Bass / Bloomberg : Microsoft Boosts HoloLens Performance and Cuts Price Chasing Corporate Customers Business Insider : Microsoft reveals the HoloLens 2, its new $3,500 holographic headset that seems to improve on the original in every way Dan Thorp-Lancaster / Windows Central : Microsoft HoloLens 2 packs Snapdragon 850, smaller design, and much more Tim Bradshaw / Financial Times : Microsoft proves it is a pioneer in ‘augmented reality’ Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch : Say hello to Microsoft's new $3,500 HoloLens with twice the field of view Ian Sherr / CNET : HoloLens 2 isn't meant for you. But HoloLens 3 might be Ian Sherr / CNET : HoloLens 2 AR headsets announced for $3,500, available to preorder now, ship later this year Brian Heater / TechCrunch : Microsoft announces an Azure-powered Kinect camera for enterprise Tweets: Tom Warren / @tomwarren : This is Microsoft's new HoloLens 2 headset. It's powered by an ARM processor, it will log you in via Windows Hello facial recognition, and it has better field of view. The headset is also lighter and more comfortable. All the details from @backlon here: http://www.theverge.com/... http://twitter.com/... Angel Say / @sayangel : Really makes me wonder which could happen first: 1) @microsoft increases FOV and variable opacity to make Hololens a VR device too 2) @oculus adds hand tracking and pass through to something like Quest to make it an AR device too Katherine Scott / @kscottz : Alright, real talk. I used to work on a defense research contract to lay the groundwork for this. This product is for the defense department, full stop. To be honest it doesn't bother me. http://www.theverge.com/... Tom Mainelli / @tommainelli : Microsoft didn't mention it on stage, but it's pretty notable to me: The @HoloLens 2 is a Windows on ARM device. http://twitter.com/... Andrew Kemendo / @andrewkemendo : I think the #HoloLens2 team knocked it out of the park here. They are actually shipping a wireless fiber scanning display with 6DOF SLAM. Huge. All necessary for scalable FOV, PPD and multi-plane accommodation as well as relocalization http://www.theverge.com/... Katie Chironis / @kchironis : as much as i am low-key sad the AR game boom will not be happening anytime soon, i think MS's enterprise focus is smart here and i'm intrigued at the comfort/UX improvements the hololens 2 seems to have made. http://www.theverge.com/... Mary Jo Foley / @maryjofoley : First real non-enterprise use case Microsoft is talking about is #HoloLens2 is Epic games. They're committing to the platform (not yet announcing games or anything). But mostly, HoloLens is a business play. #MWC19 Tom Warren / @tomwarren : Microsoft is committing to open app stores, web browsing, and open APIs and drivers. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says Epic will fully support HoloLens as a result pic.twitter.com/qfJil3V5wT Angel Say / @sayangel : Hololens 2 is @microsoft flexing its dominance in enterprise. They understand how to stay an enterprise leader with AR/VR. What they're doubling down on that others aren't: - enterprise industries (esp CAD/BIM) - hand tracking - collaboration - workers that don't sit at a desk Larry Dignan / @ldignan : HoloLens 2 interesting hardware, approach, but don't get distracted. It's all about the services backing it. In fact, Microsoft is looking to include the hardware in a larger developer/enterprise subscription. https://twitter.com/... Tom Warren / @tomwarren : As many have now guessed... Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney is coming on stage to launch Unreal Engine 4 support for HoloLens 2 Mark Hachman / @markhachman : Microsoft announces two key services: Spatial Anchors, working with ARkit and other VR to create “Internet of Holograms,” and something REALLY interesting: Azure Remote Rendering, will tap Azure cloud to render really HD holograms. Very similar to what MS is talking about w/Xbox. Tim Bradshaw / @tim : While Apple & Facebook tinker with AR headsets in their labs, Microsoft is already shipping the second version of HoloLens. But it doesn't think the tech is ready for consumers yet, so it's doubling down on enterprise & industrial workers https://www.ft.com/... pic.twitter.com/L9rzyGWIH2 Dina Bass / @dinabass : As for my own experience demoing it. Yes FOV is a lot better (that had really bugged me in first one). It is a lot more comfortable and far better to use with the various new ways to control it instead of just the finger tap. Lance Ulanoff / @lanceulanoff : Microsoft HoloLens2 Avatars (generated from 2D photos) manage to be both more realistic and creepier than any I've seen before. #MWC2019 pic.twitter.com/zGikcAjeJ1 Dina Bass / @dinabass : BUT while HoloLens is meant for workers, company is also working on Azure services that support AR on iOS/Android, which gives Microsoft a way to make $ from consumer AR. To that end, the company will be showing off these Azure services at Game Developers Conference next month. Mark Hachman / @markhachman : Microsoft does a wonderful job sucking out all of the magic from the HoloLens 2 with awful names like Microsoft Dynamics 365 Guides. Well done, Microsoft marketing! Scott Stein / @jetscott : Personally think @magicleap and @Microsoft are both key. Id and ego. The crazy stuff needs to go in hand with practical considerations. Dina Bass / @dinabass : Microsoft is intending the device for corporate customers — there are about 6 of who have been trying it out and are at the event today in Barcelona, including Philips, who I spoke to, who want it for aiding minimally invasive surgeries Joanna Stern / @joannastern : I don't care that this is expensive or not exactly attractive (cc @fxshaw), I love that Microsoft continues to build the hardware and software to let companies experiment and invest in AR / MR experiences that make sense for them Patrick Moorhead / @patrickmoorhead : After using it, I can say that HoloLens is much more comfortable to wear. And use. Better balance. Easier to get on and off. Hand gestures work so much better. #MWC19 pic.twitter.com/4gczs4BcU3 @scobleizer : Folding screens for $2,000?Wait a few days to get a look at the new Hololens. @akipman has a far better vision of the future coming out. That is where my $2k is going.Or save it for @oculus Quest. $2k will buy four of those and will be far more fun and useful.