Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR)

The smart home OEM TCL has announced that it will throw a Hallowe'en party for its public in 2022 - in the metaverse, that is. It will be held in the "Dream House" the OEM has built on the Roblox gaming platform. TCL will offer personalized avatar costumes at the door, after which a guest can visit showcases for products such as the company's "popular" TVs with cutting-edge miniLED panels.

Soundcore touts its latest VR P10 Gaming Earbuds as the first audio products of their kind to be officially approved for use with the Meta Quest 2 virtual reality (VR) headset. They come with a USB type-C dongle for potentially reduced latency over a 2.4 GHz wireless connection, and are rated for up to 24 hours of use between charges.

Apple has patented its own glove for virtual reality applications. The accessory incorporates a comprehensive array of sensors that might translate hand and finger movement to a game or metaverse-like environment with high accuracy and precision. Therefore, a final product based on this IP might be unveiled alongside the Cupertino giant's long-rumored AR/VR headset.

The virtual reality (VR) industry seems to have developed a distinct predilection for OLED as a display material going forward. However, according to an industry blog, Samsung now concludes that augmented reality (AR) has different requirements, and that microLED is a better fit for them. Therefore, the OEM is allegedly working on a new type of panel for the AR-optimized headsets of the future.

Qualcomm has formally introduced the chipset found in the new Meta Quest Pro headset as the Snapdragon XR2 Plus (or XR2+) Gen 1 platform. It is rated for potentially significant gains in thermal management and performance compared to its immediate predecessor, and has been confirmed to arrive in the form of upcoming headsets from different OEMs soon.

Meta has introduced the Quest Pro, a high-end VR headset that relies on the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Plus Gen 1, 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Meta has baked in eye and face tracking too, although it seems that the Quest Pro does not quite live up to leaks.

Xiaomi had reportedly been in talks to sell its premium gaming smartphone brand, Black Shark, to Tencent since early 2022. However, the latest word is that the software giant has ultimately passed on buying the company. Black Shark is now apparently obliged to let as many as half of its employees go, and to abandon plans for a foray into virtual reality (VR) tech on top of that.

The Pico 4 is now available to order, just over two weeks after its introduction. Starting at £379 in the UK and €429 in the Eurozone, the Pico 4 comes with pancake lenses, a higher resolution display than the Quest 2 and a larger battery to boot.

Meta may be focused on delivering the Quest Pro headset, but Bradley Lynch has delivered a sizeable leak about next year's Quest 3. While the Quest 3 will carry over some Quest Pro features, it will miss out on technologies that its competitors will offer, such as OLED displays and advanced facial tracking.

Samsung and LG would have to develop the jaw-dropping 3500 PPI OLED microdisplays for Apple's 2024 Glasses VR headgear, up from the initial 2800 PPI ask. Even the first 2023 Apple Glasses display supplier, Sony, will be offering record pixel density panels similar to the ones on the PS VR 2.

The launch of Sony's next-generation VR headset may be a few months away, but the company has sought to demonstrate some of its most exciting features. Supposedly revolutionary and immersive, the PS VR2 will push 2,000 x 2,040 pixels per eye via its OLED displays.

SoC.one and Imagination Technologies assert that RISC-V, the emerging alternative to ARM, is ideal for inclusion in the automotive industry and its spiraling need for advanced computing and networking. The two companies have agreed to collaborate on solutions to make RISC-V hardware compatible with the potential software demands of next-gen vehicles, their use of extended-reality, IoT and safety solutions included.

NetDragon Websoft is now under the leadership of Ms. Tang Yu, one of the most advanced virtual humanoid robots powered by AI. Apart from the usual managerial responsibilities, CEO Tang Yu can act as a real-time data hub and analytical tool.

The confirmed list of games coming to the PlayStation VR2 has grown to 15 titles as a new reveal trailer for Firewall Ultra has just been posted. Firewall: Zero Hour was praised on its release for the PlayStation VR and news of a sequel has been warmly welcomed. The Sony PlayStation VR2 promises 4K HDR visuals with four on-board external cameras for tracking.

The Xiaomi Mijia Glasses Camera is now available to pre-order in China from sites including Xiaomi Mall and Youpin. Plus, the company announced an OTA update, launching on September 10. The new software will enable you to identify animals and plants with the gadget, and the company suggests a Dragon Ball-inspired feature is also on the way.

Qualcomm and Meta have teamed up at IFA 2022 to unveil plans for custom chipsets to power the next generation of the latter's Quest hardware. They will be co-developed by the 2 companies, although they will be based on Snapdragon XR platforms. The collaboration is touted to deliver further advancements in augmented or virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences over the next few years.

Lenovo has announced the Glasses T1 during IFA 2022. Equipped with two Micro OLED displays, the Glasses T1 will be suitable for augmented reality and virtual reality content with Android, iOS, macOS and Windows devices via USB Type-C or Apple-specific adapters.

Apple is said to have plans to dive into the mixed-reality (MR; which might involve augmented or virtual reality (AR/VR) use-cases) arena with its first-gen headset in the near future. Now, Bloomberg contributors claim to have found out how the Cupertino giant intends to brand this new product line on its launch. The new leak hints at additional, health-related applications for the possibly upcoming Apple hardware.

Mark Zuckerberg has provided details on Meta's first VR headset, along with its release window. Launching later this year, the rumoured Meta Quest Pro will bring plenty of new features, confirming earlier leaks.

Not to be outdone by Sony, Samsung announced that it will be starting mass production of microdisplays for upcoming AR/VR devices in 2024. It will also ramp up the output of 8th-gen OLED displays for laptops and tablets significantly then.

Sony has now officially confirmed that PlayStation VR 2 will arrive in as little as a few months. Expected to launch with over 20 games, the next-generation VR headset will represent a technological uplift from the existing PlayStation VR and will face competition from the Meta Quest 2, plus the upcoming Meta Quest Pro.

Lenovo's major Legion mobile tech product launch's reality has also just gone virtual with the announcement of the new VR700. The new headset is powered by the up-to-date Snapdragon XR2 chipset to power immersive gameplay or simulate a home theater-like streamed content experience. It will debut alongside its brand's new flagship smartphone later in August 2022.

Meta Quest beta version 43 is rolling out to members of Meta’s Public Test Channel or PTC, and a number of testers who opted in are already discovering features that offer a clearer idea of what to expect from Meta’s next-gen VR headset. Take a look at what’s new in v43 before it’s released to the public later next month.

Manchester United, one of the best-known soccer franchises worldwide, has unveiled Qualcomm as one of its latest partners. The collaboration will apparently involve consultations to improve wireless connectivity within the team's historical Old Trafford headquarters, as well as a lot more Snapdragon logos to be seen around that stadium and its squad's branding going forward.

LG has finally announced US pricing and availability for its 2022 CineBeam projectors. The series consists of 2 ultra-short-throw DLP units rated to cast a 4K UHD window of 120 inches in size from less than 20 centimeters (cm) from a wall. They also feature up-to-3,700 lumen brightness, HDMI with eARC and integrated 40W speakers.

It seems that Pico is preparing to release another VR headset, following the launch of the Neo 3 Link earlier this year. Following the publication of an FCC listing in which the regulatory body revealed the headset's design, images of the Pico 4 Pro's controller have also leaked.

The Xiaomi Mijia Glasses Camera will soon start crowdfunding in China. The wearable has AR features, such as translation between English and Chinese, with additional tools to be added later. The gadget has a 50 MP primary camera and an 8 MP periscope camera for up to 15 times zoom. Plus, a Sony Micro OLED display provides a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits.

XRAI has announced a public preview of its AR smart glasses in partnership with Nreal. The wearable allows people who are deaf or have hearing loss to read phone conversations in real-time. XRAI Glass software provides subtitles with a voice recognition tool. Plus, the company is developing additional AI features, such as translation.

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is a global conglomerate that has patently thrown its weight behind virtual reality as the next social media of big-tech industry concerns. However, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken issue with what it sees as the company's crusade to "buy its way" to metaverse dominance, and has legal objections to its latest attempted merger in the space.

Sony's second-gen virtual reality (VR) headset for the PlayStation (or PS VR2) is still on the road to launch at the moment. However, the Japanese hardware giant has taken pity on its fans with a new preview of what the accessory should be capable of on its debut. They include a See-Through View mode, the ability to record gameplay and play-area mapping.

From next month, you no longer need to use a Facebook account to use a Quest 2. However, the now Meta-branded headset will also start at US$399, US$100 more expensive than its current retail price. The cost of Quest 2 accessories and refurbished units is rising, too.

More details about Project Cambria have emerged, expected to launch as the Meta Quest Pro. With a high starting price, the Quest Pro will be considerably more expensive than the Quest 2. The Quest Pro's controllers should be available separately too and may even be compatible with the existing Quest 2.

Razer has bought all shares of the French company responsible for Interhaptics, described as a "leading development platform" for feedback in gaming, PC and extended-reality (XR) hardware. The move is slated to underpin the former's interest in the overall haptics market, although it could also allow the OEM to improve and leverage its in-house HyperSense technology to compete with similar products such as Sony DualSense going forward.

Burned by the privacy and security controversies surrounding its first take on AR/VR glasses, Google is resurrecting their consumer application with real-world trials by select testers. They will have strict privacy training and the glasses won't have imaging or videography abilities, as Google is preparing to take on the Apple Glasses device that may be released next year.

Samsung has proudly announced that its SmartThings Find network is now made up of at least 200 million devices (counted as individual "find nodes") worldwide. The OEM's Apple Find My rival has taken less than two years to grow to this extent. Its success is attributed to the release of the first-gen Galaxy SmartTags, which allow users to find things besides Samsung hardware through the service.

PSVR 2 is a virtual reality headset from Sony that is expected to feature a number of next-generation hardware features that include eye-tracking, a highly advanced lens system, an even wider field of view, and a refreshed design.

According to reports, Meta has settled on the name of a new VR headset. Although the device is no longer expected to arrive as the Quest 2 Pro, it will be the long-rumoured Project Cambria. The Meta Quest Pro could cost upwards of US$1,000 when it arrives this autumn, though.

It must be difficult to be a Google project, never knowing when the technicolour tech giant will inevitably pull the plug on you like it has for so many of your compatriots. Google's latest victim is the much-maligned Hangouts—which will merge into Google Chat—but let's have a look at some of the more interesting projects Google axed before Hangouts.

HTC has been hinting at the imminent launch of a 'Viverse phone' for some time, and has now made good on these teasers with the new Desire 22 Pro. The OEM asserts that it comes with internals powerful enough to run metaverse apps as well as visit virtual spaces. Then again, the same specs are hardly flagship-grade, although you wouldn't guess it from its starting price.

Mark Gurman claims that Apple will bring M2 series chipsets to the Mac mini, currently available with Apple M1. However, Gurman also believes that the Apple M2 will power Apple's inaugural mixed-reality headset, likely providing it with more horsepower than the Meta Quest 2 has.

TSMC has outlined its latest semiconductor technology during its 2022 North America Technology Symposium. N2 is in fact the next generation on from the "cutting-edge" N3 and N3E FINFLEX architecture, on which the highly-anticipated 3 nanometer (nm) processors rumored to dominate 2023 are to be based. However, TSMC claims that N2 will be even faster again with greater power efficiency.

Renowned tech supply chain analyst and tech leaker Ming-Chi Kuo recently shared a number of predictions regarding a new mixed reality headset from Meta that is expected to launch later this year. The new headset is allegedly slated to include a number of high-end features catering specifically to professionals and metaverse enthusiasts alike. Take a look at what to expect from what analysts are dubbing the “Meta Quest 2 Pro”.

Mark Zuckerberg has shown what VR-related projects Meta is currently working on. With at least four prototypes in play, Meta hopes to release a consumer device with better optics, improved depth of field and HDR support, among other changes.

The latest software update for the Meta Quest debuts an incredibly intimate medium for hanging out with friends in the metaverse, deep integrations for Windows 11, and more options for parental controls. Polish your headset lenses, strap in, and take a look at what’s new!

Nreal has announced that it will launch a Steam beta later this month for the Nreal Light and Nreal Air glasses. Not all Steam games will be supported, though DiRT Rally and the Halo series have been named as AAA titles available. The company has also revealed plans for AR Jam, a hackathon offering over US$100,000 in prizes.

The STEPVR Gates01 VR deck has been revealed. The cube-shaped device includes an omnidirectional treadmill and a harness to keep you centred as you moved. The gadget comes with a 4K headset and will be launched later this year. A similar, more compact device for personal use will be released early in 2023.

HTC has begun to tease the debut of a new device on its Taiwanese Facebook page. The product is to become part of the Viverse virtual reality (VR) ecosystem, even though it is also projected to be a smartphone. This possibility may or may not be backed up by an initial launch poster.

Apple has been rumored to launch its first-gen mixed-reality device (in the form of glasses or a headset) shortly. However, should all the leaks concerning its release have proven accurate, it would be on the market already. Now, a leading market analyst claims that its announcement has been pushed back due to production issues.

Qualcomm has announced that the Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform it has implemented to help engineers and creators make next-gen metaverse-type environments and products is ready for use. The OEM offers a compatible dev-kit made of Lenovo/Motorola hardware with 8 Gen 1 and XR1 silicon.

Apple’s 2022 MacBook Air is the main piece of hardware that multiple leakers expect to be revealed at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC22). Apple has issued an AR trading-card set that has offered clues of what might be shown off alongside obvious highlights such as macOS 13 Mammoth, iOS 16, and iPadOS 16.