Road to VR

FEBRUARY 25, 2020

While Microsoft has been full steam ahead on the augmented reality side of Windows Mixed Reality via HoloLens, the company has had very little to say in the last year about the VR side of its platform. While it may look like Microsoft has largely given up on the effort, the company tells us that it remains committed.

Microsoft 329

Microsoft Augmented Reality Samsung Virtual Reality 329

XR Today - Virtual Reality

JANUARY 14, 2025

Thats because countless organizations are beginning to discover the benefits of VR hardware for workplace use cases. Pico, Varjo, HTC VIVE, and even Meta are all experimenting with premium and affordable VR headsets for business use, as well as intuitive device management software.

Training 273

Training Hand tracking Simulation Software 273

The Ghost Howls

OCTOBER 26, 2020

And the price of the wireless add-on is even more suspicious: speaking with a hardware manufacturer, they told me that ONLY THE ANTENNAS of a Wi-Gig connection for VR streaming (like the one of the Vive Pro) costs around $100… so how can the whole wireless streaming device cost just $50?? A new FCC listing appears for an HTC Vive headset.

HTC 448

HTC Oculus Conference China 448

VRScout

FEBRUARY 24, 2017

After a mixed year for VR hardware sales in 2016, two new separate reports are painting a more optimistic outlook for the VR market going forward. In a new consumer VR report just released by SuperData Research , the findings show that global VR hardware revenue is expected to hit $3.6 billion in 2017, up 142% year-over-year.

Hardware 257

Hardware Los Angeles North America Software 257

Road to VR

JUNE 24, 2019

Following months of steep discounts, most of the Windows VR headsets have vanished from Microsoft’s online store and are showing limited or no stock at other retailers. Microsoft has yet to offer an explanation, but signs are pointing toward discontinuation of some headsets. Image captured by Road to VR.

Microsoft 261

Microsoft Samsung Retail Amazon 261

UploadVR Between Realities podcast

MAY 11, 2017

In a keynote today Microsoft is revealing a long-awaited missing piece of its Windows mixed reality platform – motion controllers. According to Microsoft, the controllers would be shown on stage at its keynote but wouldn’t be available for hands-on demos at its Build developer conference this week.

Microsoft 231

Microsoft Controllers HTC Survey 231

Road to VR

JUNE 18, 2017

Despite its primary competitor, Oculus, making a major price cut to the Rift & Touch earlier this year, HTC’s Vive headset still sits at a hearty $800. The company’s GM of VR, Daniel O’Brien, tells us why HTC hasn’t cut the cost of their headset in response. Price Point. Price Leader.

HTC 279

HTC Virtual Reality Oculus Hand tracking 279

Road to VR

JULY 29, 2019

OpenXR is a royalty-free standard that aims to unify the underlying connections between VR and AR hardware, game engines, and content, making for a more interoperable ecosystem. Microsoft has released initial support for OpenXR on both HoloLens and Windows VR headsets , and Collabora has released its Monado open-source Linux OpenXR runtime.

Microsoft 274

Microsoft Oculus Groups Magic Leap 274

XR Today - Virtual Reality

AUGUST 2, 2024

With the broader audience that comes with Connect, expect new product announcements from firms looking to join the moment, such as HTC VIVE, which is also readying a new product. ” First Look at Microsoft Co-pilot AR Smart Glasses? Already, the stage is being set for a busy two months ahead as event season returns.

Microsoft 225

Microsoft Hardware Training Wearables 225

VRScout

FEBRUARY 10, 2020

Headsets such as the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift have made PC the go-to platform for a majority of AAA VR developers. The latest upcoming addition to the Xbox hardware lineup. The adoption rate of VR headsets has been slower than initially expected, with companies continuing to spend hefty sums as they experiment with new hardware.

Microsoft 397

Microsoft Hardware Oculus Sony 397

The Ghost Howls

OCTOBER 11, 2022

The hardware to be launched at the event had already been totally leaked We had no unexpected major VR game announced , nor news on GTA or Assassin’s Creed VR Most pieces of news were already been announced o r were not that relevant. Microsoft 365 is coming to Quest Pro! I was not expecting it at all, and was quite cool.

Microsoft 545

Microsoft Strategy Tools HTC 545

Road to VR

JUNE 22, 2023

At least from the outside, it appears Microsoft isn’t actively competing for a seat at the XR table, which is fairly odd coming from a company that pioneered enterprise AR while simultaneously wrangling some of its top OEM partners to make a fleet of PC VR headsets for consumers in 2017. If Microsoft goes in half-cocked, maybe.

Strategy 356

Strategy Microsoft Magic Leap Apple 356

The Ghost Howls

SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

Thanks to the support of HTC, Rob is experimenting with Vive Trackers , and is very eager to tell you everything about his experiments with them, in a series of two very detailed posts. The post finishes also with the little surprise of an interview with HTC’s Shen Ye. HTC Vive Trackers (Image by Rob Cole). Introduction.

HTC 488

HTC Controllers Virtual Reality Hardware 488

Road to VR

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

HTC was seemingly the odd one out back at the initial announcement, but this week the company joined the group in support of the standard. Representing most of the VR industry’s core hardware and software makers, NVIDIA, AMD, Valve, Oculus, and Microsoft were the initial members of the VirtualLink Consortium.

HTC 196

HTC San Francisco Groups Industry 196

ARPost

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020

When you think about “haptics,” particularly in the sense of extended reality , you probably think about hardware and wearables that let you interact with and feel your environment. Haptics require hardware but they also require software. However, I had to ask, is hardware in the roadmap? However, that’s only half the story.

Haptic 434

Haptic Gesture Control Hardware Wearables 434

The Ghost Howls

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

With much surprise for us all, HTC has just announced the Vive Focus Plus , its first full 6 DOF standalone headset! The Vive Focus Plus, in all its majesty (Image by HTC). Internal view of the Vive Focus Plus (Image by HTC). Do you want to know more? Well, you are in the right place. The Vive Focus Plus.

Controllers 304

Controllers HTC Latency China 304

UploadVR Between Realities podcast

JULY 26, 2017

Earlier this year HTC became an official partner with Google in producing a Daydream-based standalone VR headset under the Vive brand. Today, HTC announced it is producing a similar device for the Chinese market powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 chipset. Graylin, China Regional President of Vive, HTC, in a prepared statement.

HTC 200

HTC Virtual World China Leap Motion 200

Road to VR

JANUARY 6, 2017

Here’s a visual tour of some of the first VR headsets to be shown adopting Microsoft’s new Windows Holographic platform. Microsoft’s Windows Holographic is the company’s immersive initiative built on foundations begun with their first foray into the augmented reality world with their HoloLens visor.

Microsoft 262

Microsoft Hardware Architecture Augmented Reality 262

VRScout

AUGUST 5, 2022

Past winners have included hardware such as the Meta Quest 2 headset, social media influencers like Thrillseeker , and VR experiences including ILMxLAB’s Secrets of the Empire and Wolves in the Walls from Fable Studio. Credit: HTC. VR Hardware of the Year. Credit: AIXR. VR Social Impact Award. – XTAL 3 Mixed Reality.

Netherlands 444

Netherlands Taiwan Training Simulation 444

VRScout

FEBRUARY 3, 2020

There’s even a handful of graphics presets for adjusting visual quality depending on your hardware. . WMR and Pimax headsets are still not properly supported; I contacted both Microsoft and Pimax about the issues, so fingers crossed, but don’t hold your breath.”. As previously stated, one of R.E.A.L’s

Oculus 544

Oculus Microsoft Hardware Gaming 544

Road to VR

JUNE 12, 2020

It’s no doubt been a massive undertaking creating a platform agnostic standard for VR and AR, as The Khronos Group consortium has included in its ranks the important hardware and software creators in the industry, including AMD, ARM, Epic Games, Facebook, Google, HTC, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Unity, and Valve.

Gaming 339

Gaming Unity AR Microsoft 339

The Ghost Howls

MARCH 4, 2019

Frontal view of the device (Image by Microsoft). The biggest news of the MWC for what concerns XR has been for sure the announcement of the HoloLens 2 by Microsoft. Image by Microsoft). Together with the HoloLens 2, Microsoft has also announced a new version of the Kinect, called Kinect Azure. HTC 5G streaming.

Microsoft 361

Microsoft HTC AR Augmented Reality 361

Road to VR

AUGUST 28, 2017

Microsoft today announced that Windows VR headsets will be able to play SteamVR content. Microsoft is working toward the launch of consumer Windows VR headsets coming this holiday, and today co-announced with Valve that the headsets will support SteamVR content.

Microsoft 274

Microsoft Oculus HTC Hardware 274

VRScout

DECEMBER 26, 2018

Major hardware releases, vast improvements to software, and various other integral advancements have quietly solidified VR & AR as viable, long-term technological platforms for years to come. Of course we can’t talk about standalone VR without bringing up the HTC Vive Focus. LOCATION-BASED VR.

AR 377

AR Training Oculus Arizona 377

The Ghost Howls

JANUARY 11, 2022

HTC Vive Wrist Tracker. HTC Vive Wrist Tracker (Image by HTC). HTC has made an announcement at this CES and it has been a pretty cool one. To showcase its functionality, HTC showed some videos of the tracker in use to improve the performances of hands tracking and also with the tracker installed on external props.

AR 545

AR Haptic Las Vegas HTC 545

Road to VR

OCTOBER 30, 2017

Old Enemies – HTC. While both Oculus’ Rift and HTC’s Vive hit the market right around the same time in 2016, the Vive was the first system with motion controllers and room-scale. A Tale of Two Headsets. With that, Vive also offered the most immersive VR experience. The Middle.

Oculus 259

Oculus Samsung Microsoft Hardware 259

Road to VR

SEPTEMBER 2, 2017

According to the latest figures from Valve’s Hardware & Software Survey, the Oculus Rift has set a new record for its highest historical market share on Steam, almost certainly driven by a major sale which has also brought the headset its largest ever share increase from one month to the next. The latest results show a major gain of 8.1%

Survey 270

Survey HTC Oculus Hardware 270

Road to VR

JULY 2, 2018

The monthly Steam hardware survey is out again, and while June hasn’t revealed any major upsets in the balances of usership between HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, the survey shows that Windows “Mixed Reality” VR headsets are making slow, but steady headway on the platform. Participation in the survey is optional.

Survey 248

Survey Samsung Hardware HTC 248

The Ghost Howls

MARCH 31, 2021

Some weeks ago, he has bought a Tundra HDK , which is basically a Hardware Development Kit to create your objects that can be tracked by a SteamVR system and has played around with it for a while. Image provided by Rob Cole). Image by Triad Semiconductor). Image by Triad Semiconductor).

DC 535

DC HTC Controllers Head Mounted Display 535

Road to VR

AUGUST 28, 2017

Microsoft today announced that the company will be bundling its Windows VR headsets and motion controllers, and making them available for purchase this holiday season starting at $400. Image courtesy Microsoft. In the meantime, check out our deep dive reviews on HTC Vive , Oculus Rift and Oculus Touch. Acer headset.

Controllers 274

Controllers Microsoft HTC Oculus 274

XR Today - Virtual Reality

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

The brand offers one of the most affordable and straightforward hardware solutions for users interested in virtual reality on the market. Perhaps the biggest company in the mixed reality landscape right now, Microsoft is paving the way to a future of incredible hybrid learning.

Education 282

Education Magic Leap Unity Training 282

VRScout

NOVEMBER 24, 2016

Now with major high-end VR systems available on the market, we would expect there to be some serious discounts on hardware during the busiest shopping day of the year — Black Friday. The Microsoft Store will be giving $100 gift codes with the purchase of the Oculus Rift. 100 Off HTC Vive + Content Sale. and online.

HTC 150

HTC Oculus Samsung Microsoft 150

VRScout

AUGUST 28, 2017

Microsoft announces new content & bundle options for their upcoming VR headsets, all for a killer price. Today was a busy day for the guys & gals over at Microsoft with a handful of exciting announcements around their upcoming ecosystem of mixed reality products.

Microsoft 247

Microsoft Industry Hardware Technology 247

VRScout

MARCH 3, 2017

Microsoft is showing some commitment to the idea of Windows Mixed Reality (formally known as Windows Holographic) with not just a single headset, but with five headsets. Back in February, Sony announced that they sold 915,000 PlayStation VR headsets since it launched in mid-October, while Microsoft focused on their HoloLens MR headset.

Microsoft 150

Microsoft San Francisco Machine Learning Conference 150

Road to VR

AUGUST 29, 2017

Yesterday’s announcement that Steam will support the forthcoming Windows VR headsets was big news which means that when owners get their hands on the headsets this holiday, they’ll have a strong library of VR content to draw from while Microsoft builds up its own library of VR games and apps on the Windows store.

Oculus 271

Oculus Microsoft Hardware Gaming 271

The Ghost Howls

APRIL 22, 2024

The fact that all headsets should use the same hardware platform (Qualcomm chips) also helps in reducing the fragmentation of the Meta Horizon ecosystem, making all devices have the same functionalities. But the reality is that Meta has always sold headsets under cost or at cost, so it’s not really earning money from hardware.

Google 484

Google Software Samsung Apple 484

Upload VR

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Microsoft is killing its Windows Mixed Reality PC VR platform. Despite the name, all Windows MR headsets were actually VR-only, and are compatible with most SteamVR content via Microsoft's SteamVR driver. On the Steam Hardware Survey Windows MR peaked at around 10% of SteamVR usage share, and now sits around 5%.

Microsoft 145

Microsoft Samsung Survey Controllers 145