Microsoft may not have sold millions of units of the HoloLens augmented reality headset but that wasn’t its objective in the first place. This first-generation augmented reality headset is meant for developers and enthusiasts who are really interested in pushing AR into the future. The company may eventually come out with cheaper HoloLens headsets or team up with other manufacturers who want to create their own. According to a recent report, Microsoft is going to release the successor to the existing HoloLens in 2019.
Microsoft first unveiled the HoloLens augmented reality headset over two years back at a Windows 10 event, however, it didn’t start shipping units to developers until last year. It’s not that difficult to purchase a HoloLens, providing that you have $3,000 to spend on it and don’t feel like spending that much money on a first-gen device that’s not advertised for the average customer is absolutely bonkers.
The report claims that Microsoft has decided to shelve its plans for second version of HoloLens in favor of a third version that it has also been working on. This will enable the company to focus on making bigger changes to the headset.
Microsoft reportedly made this decision due to a lack of competition in this space. Microsoft is now said to come out with the HoloLens successor in 2019 which means that it will arrive three years after the first units were shipped to developers. One can assume that the updated headset will provide more processing power and battery life all of which will be packed inside a headset that’s smaller and lighter than its predecessor.
Filed in . Read more about Augmented Reality (AR), Hololens and Microsoft.