Returning to Italy, I’m feeling both exhausted and elated. I trust you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day with your loved ones and, generally, are in good spirits. You might wonder what’s adding a spring to my step. Well, my recent piece regarding Android XR’s camera frame permissions received mentions in major outlets like Road To VR, Upload VR, and Android Authority. It’s thrilling to enjoy my moment in the limelight! Now, let’s delve into this week’s most exciting XR news.
Top News of the Week
Ray-Ban Meta’s Phenomenal Success
In a recent earnings call, EssilorLuxottica’s CEO Francesco Milleri shared exciting news: the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have sold an impressive two million units. This aligns with insider info I heard from industry sources. Such impressive sales and user retention speak volumes about the product’s success.
Thanks to this enthusiasm, Luxottica is planning to ramp up production to over ten million units by 2026. This success has stirred buzz around smartglasses; while I was at CES, I noticed numerous startups showcasing their AI-enhanced models. Rumor has it that giants like Apple and Samsung are also jumping on the smartglasses bandwagon. However, keep in mind that Ray-Ban’s success was driven mainly by its brand power paired with Luxottica’s strong distribution—not so much by Meta. Other tech brands might find this a tough act to follow.
While Luxottica is upping production sharply, bringing these numbers close to smartphone levels is still far off. I’m hopeful for a breakthrough, but the market needs to show steady growth in the months ahead to prove it viable.
Meta’s Leap Towards Humanoid Robots
Bloomberg reports that Meta is allegedly developing AI-powered humanoid robots, courtesy of its Reality Labs—the same division behind XR headsets. The data from AR, VR headsets, and Project Aria glasses might prove invaluable for training these robots.
Interestingly, Meta isn’t going solo on production. Likely due to its experiences in the XR space, the tech giant appears to focus on creating core components like AI systems, sensors, and software for others to utilize. Given Meta’s current challenges with XR and their significant financial challenges, this venture seems rather risky.
Apple’s Vision Pro to Incorporate Apple Intelligence
Bloomberg’s recent report indicates that Apple plans to enhance its Vision Pro headset with Apple Intelligence. Expect new user modes and spatial content apps, projected for an update roll-out as early as April. Developers might see beta versions this week. Additionally, Apple is exploring partnerships to bring AI functionalities to its devices in China, targeting companies like Tencent and Bytedance.
Integrating Apple Intelligence into Vision Pro is poised to elevate Apple’s competitiveness, squaring off against Google’s Android XR and its impressive Gemini feature. This race is pushing major players like Meta, Apple, and Google to constantly enhance their offerings.
Mentra’s AugmentOS to Revolutionize Smartglasses Development
Mentra has unveiled AugmentOS, an innovative app development platform for smartglasses, which allows applications built with its SDK to run across various glasses models. Current partnerships with companies like Vuzix promise strong compatibility with devices like Vuzix Z100, Even Realities G1, and Mentra Mach1. Mentra suggests compatibility with Ray-Ban Meta, though it’s not officially listed on supported models.
This project is a significant stride forward, considering the fragmented nature of the smartglasses ecosystem. It’s currently a challenge to develop applications that run seamlessly across different smartglasses. However, AugmentOS aims to simplify this, though time will tell how widely it will be adopted.
Other Noteworthy News
PSVR 2’s Holiday Success
During the 2024 holiday season, the PSVR 2 saw a massive boom in sales, thanks to a price slash from $550 to $350. Amazon US sales data reveal a fivefold increase compared to 2023. Even though it doesn’t match Quest’s sales yet, the numbers are promising. A permanent price cut could work wonders for its market position.
Anduril Steers IVAS Project Forward
Defense tech company Anduril, founded by Palmer Luckey, is now leading the IVAS project initially managed by Microsoft. While Microsoft remains a cloud partner with Azure, Anduril will handle both hardware and software aspects. Speculatively, Luckey’s latest claims about creating a top-tier military headset might just be tied to this project. Given the challenges Microsoft faced with its HoloLens, Anduril’s new prototype might better satisfy military requirements.
Specialized WebXR Hosting with Wonderland Cloud
Create Worlds, known for the Wonderland Engine, is launching Wonderland Cloud, offering dedicated hosting for WebXR applications along with services for multiplayer and voice chat. This new venture might significantly ease WebXR experience development.
The Advent of NVIDIA RTX 5090
YouTubers this week evaluated the NVIDIA RTX 5090 against its predecessor, RTX 4090, specifically for VR experiences. Unsurprisingly, the new model showcased superior performance.
Connecting VR Communities for All Ages
An insightful article by Bobby Carlton underscores the vibrant VR communities, especially among those aged 50 and above. Though Gen-Z and Gen-Alpha dominate headlines due to games like Gorilla Tag, older generations are avid users too, mainly enjoying fitness and social applications.
Innovative NBA Viewing with Apple Vision Pro
The NBA’s app for Apple Vision Pro now presents Tabletop view—a live diorama-scale game display. Though cooler as a supplementary feature, nothing beats the immersive experience of watching directly on a big screen.
Quest Store’s Big Horizon Sale
The Quest Store has unveiled a major sale with enticing discounts on popular titles, running until February 23. Games like Among Us VR and LEGO Bricktales are up for grabs at reduced prices.
Pioneering Hand-Tracking on PSVR 2
Sony discreetly introduced hand-tracking to PSVR 2, and “Waltz Of The Wizard” is the pioneer game to include it. The technology complements its magic-based gameplay, performing impressively well, if not better than Quest’s hand tracking, thanks to the PS5’s robust capabilities.
Exciting Game Updates
- Skydance has rolled out a significant update for "Behemoth", addressing over 700 bugs.
- "Alien Rogue Incursion" launched on Quest but is marred by lighting issues, with a fix on its way.
- "Into The Radius 2" is entering Early Access on Quest in Q2 2025, at $39.99.
Lost Potential of a Revolutionary VR Game by Ready At Dawn
Ready At Dawn, before being dissolved by Meta, was reportedly working on an extraordinary VR game. Given their track record with "Lone Echo" and "Echo Arena", it’s unfortunate that their promising project never saw the light.
Upcoming and Noteworthy Games
Numerous titles are poised to enrich the VR scene, from “The Midnight Walk” with its unique claymation graphics, to the high-stakes tactical shooter “Tier One: Direct Action”.
Miscellaneous Updates
- John Carmack’s push for official Doom and Quake ports didn’t succeed.
- Interesting products include Dbrand’s protective faceplate for Apple Vision Pro and a universal VR mod for Godot.
- An ingenious tool enables mixed reality visualization of Blender models on Quest 3.
XR Fun and Philanthropic Opportunities
Engage with some lighthearted VR-themed humor this week. Furthermore, consider donating to the Red Cross to support those affected by war in Ukraine. A heartfelt thanks go out to my Patreon supporters whose generosity keeps this journey alive.
For more detailed insights on any of these stories, check out the provided links. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of XR together!
