After a whirlwind of a trip, I’m finally back in Italy, feeling worn out but elated. I trust you all enjoyed a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your loved ones, and are generally feeling upbeat. One of the reasons I’m on cloud nine? My recent article on Android XR’s camera frame permissions has caught the attention of major publications including Road To VR, Upload VR, and Android Authority! It’s truly thrilling to bask in a fleeting moment of fame. 😊 With that cheer in mind, let’s dive into the most exciting XR news of the week.
Top news of the week
This week, the spotlight’s on the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which have soared in popularity, hitting the 2 million sales mark. Francesco Milleri, CEO of EssilorLuxottica, praised the glasses during the company’s Q4 2024 earnings call. It turns out their charm isn’t just in the sales figures; user retention is on the rise too. Given its success, Luxottica is eager to up the ante and plans to expand production to 10 million units by 2026.
The triumph of Ray-Ban Meta seems to have set off a smart glasses craze. At CES, I witnessed a slew of startups unveiling AI-tinged smartglasses and whispers about big names like Apple and Samsung entering the fray. However, a word to the wise: proceed with caution around the hype. Ray-Ban Meta thrives primarily due to the Ray-Ban allure and its distribution via EssilorLuxottica. Without these factors, duplicating its success could be challenging for others.
Despite the impressive production goal of 10 million units, this pales in comparison to smartphone numbers, hinting at a gradual market adoption. While we wait to see if these smart glasses will indeed make a significant splash, only time and a growing market can tell.
Other notable news
Rumors are swirling about Meta’s latest endeavor—humanoid robots. According to Bloomberg, Meta’s Reality Labs, famous for its XR headsets, is leading this ambitious charge, leveraging data from AR, VR headsets, and Project Aria glasses to enhance these AI-powered robots. However, Meta doesn’t plan to build these robots. Instead, it’s focusing on creating AI, sensors, and software for other companies to develop the final products.
On the subject of ambitious tech projects, it’s intriguing (yet puzzling) why Meta would wade into this costly venture, especially given the ongoing XR challenges and financial hits.
Meanwhile, Apple is working on integrating Apple Intelligence into the Vision Pro headset, aiming for a significant software update, including improved guest user modes and spatial content apps, possibly as early as April. This aligns with Apple’s potential new Vision Pro powered by an M5 chipset. The integration would enhance Apple’s competitiveness against Google, which flaunts its Gemini feature as part of the Android XR OS.
Shifting gears, Mentra is pioneering an app called AugmentOS, designed to facilitate app development for various smartglasses models. The goal? Allow developers to create apps with the AugmentOS SDK that run across multiple devices, such as the Vuzix Z100. While their claim of compatibility with Ray-Ban Meta sounds a bit optimistic, the initiative is certainly commendable. Given the current murky landscape for smartglasses app development, solutions like AugmentOS could be solid steps towards a clearer path.
News worth mentioning
Sony’s PSVR 2 saw a remarkable sales surge over the holidays, thanks to a hefty price cut from $550 to $350—a promising sign for the device. Nonetheless, its future direction remains uncertain; a permanent price reduction might well bolster sustained momentum.
Over in the military tech realm, Anduril has officially assumed control of the IVAS project from Microsoft, taking charge of hardware and software while retaining Microsoft’s Azure cloud. This move, announced with bold confidence by Anduril’s founder, Palmer Luckey, ups the ante for exceptional delivery.
For VR enthusiasts, Wonderland Cloud launches as a specialized hosting solution for WebXR applications, inclusive of multifaceted services like multiplayer hosting and spatial voice chats—truly a boon for WebXR app development.
In tech battles, the NVIDIA RTX 5090 emerges victorious in performance tests against its forerunner, the RTX 4090, significantly enhancing VR experiences.
And don’t overlook a heartwarming reminder from Bobby Carlton’s article about the vibrant VR community for adults and seniors, emphasizing these group’s affinity for fitness and social apps.
Lastly, the NBA’s Apple Vision Pro app introduces a novel Tabletop feature, offering a miniature, 3D live game experience right on your table—an interesting, albeit not entirely immersive, complement to watching games.
Other tidbits
Keep an eye on the Horizon Store’s attractive discounts on titles like Among Us VR and Ultrawings 2 until February 23rd. Meanwhile, PSVR 2 has welcomed hand-tracking in its game lineup, starting with "Waltz of the Wizard"—a promising enhancement to gameplay.
Content creators can also expect exciting releases and updates. Skydance moves forward with a massive update for "Behemoth," fixing over 700 bugs. Meanwhile, "Into The Radius 2" is set for Early Access on Quest in 2025.
Sadly, exciting developments from Ready At Dawn will not see the light of day following Meta’s closure of the studio before their new VR game could be unveiled.
From fresh game releases to innovative app developments, there’s plenty on the horizon for VR enthusiasts. Stay tuned for "The Midnight Walk" and enjoy favorites like "Stupid Cars" or create art with "TouchDesk."
Additional notes
In other news, ID Software’s community hopes for Doom and Quake ports remain unfulfilled, and companies like Crytek and Unity are facing layoffs.
Horizon Worlds rolls out fantastical avatars featuring icons like Captain America. Moreover, VR enthusiasts rejoice as UGVR, a universal VR mod for Godot, becomes available.
A creative blend of tech and reality, a tool now allows Blender 3D models to be visualized in mixed reality on Quest 3—a nifty gadget for artists.
Sharing the love
Turning to the community, The Spatialists have made strides with their impressive immersive video quality via Apple Vision Pro, while Aviar offers hassle-free VR training setups. And, for those funding fun projects, "The Petty Playbook," a creative puzzle book, awaits your support on Kickstarter.
Fun and philanthropy
On a lighter note, giggle along with some VR-themed humor, from VR-driven Valentine’s antics to laugh-out-loud Horizon Worlds ads.
Let’s also take this moment to give back—consider donating to the Red Cross to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Many thanks to my fantastic Patreon supporters for keeping the spirit high.
And that wraps up another fascinating week in the XR world. Keep exploring, stay curious, and I’ll be back with more next time!
