Microsoft’s Hololens 2 augmented reality glasses, which were introduced more than five years ago, will soon no longer be available. Because production has been stopped, as Microsoft has now confirmed. There will be software updates until the end of 2027. If stocks at Microsoft and retailers run out, this “mixed reality headset for businesses,” as the manufacturer calls Hololens 2, will no longer be available for purchase.
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In February 2019, Microsoft announced the Hololens 2 AR glasses. Compared to its predecessor, the first Hololens, it offers a field of view that is twice as large as its predecessor and improved hand tracking. In an initial test, the Hololens 2 was significantly improved, but still far from good enough. The finger tracking works sensationally well, but unfortunately the field of view is still far too small.
Now Microsoft is putting an end to its own mixed or AR glasses and has stopped manufacturing them Manufacturer confirmed to UploadVR magazine. The group has already communicated this to its partners and customers. For critical security vulnerabilities and software issues, Hololens 2 will receive updates until December 31, 2027. Microsoft’s first Hololens headset from 2016 has been out of production since 2018, and software support for these AR glasses will be discontinued in December 2024.
No successor, but still military Hololens
There have been rumors about a successor over the years, but so far nothing has come of it. At the beginning of 2022 it was said that Hololens 3 was about to end. But in late 2022, Microsoft confirmed that Hololens 3 was still in the works, even though Hololens creator Alex Kipman had left his long-time employer in June 2022. At that time it was said that Microsoft was just waiting for the right time to be able to produce a successor with “useful” innovations.
Microsoft’s version of AR glasses for the military is also supported. This initially proved unsuitable for the US Army because it caused nausea and dizziness among soldiers. But further tests were successful and ensured that the military Hololens got a second chance. The US Army has ordered additional AR combat glasses that will be tested extensively in early 2025. A decision on mass production will be made at the end of next year.
Microsoft relies on meta headsets
Microsoft’s move away from augmented and virtual reality in the consumer environment became apparent last year. At the beginning of 2023, Microsoft announced that it would rely on AI instead of the Metaverse, and thousands of jobs in the mixed reality sector were cut. At the end of 2023, mixed reality support was removed from Windows. Other companies, however, have expanded their activities in this market. Meta has just presented its AR glasses of the future with Project Orion.
The Facebook Group is now Microsoft’s cooperation partner in mixed reality. Metas Quest headsets should be able to create a virtual desktop that can be operated via a headset when working on notebooks with Windows 11. reports UploadVR. This corresponds to one of the functions of Apple’s Vision Pro. All you have to do is look at a MacBook with the headset to call up a virtual external monitor.
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