Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR)

Sony has slashed the price of its PS VR 2 headset by as much as $200. You can now buy it for just $349 on select platforms. Connecting it to a PC will require an extra adaptor that launches on August 7.

Vivo has announced that it has partnered with Rokid to make the X100 Ultra capable of 3D photography. The new feature is backed to turn users of the top-end flagship Android smartphone into aspiring extended or augmented reality (XR/AR) content creators using the Ultra's Zeiss-tuned cameras. Vivo has also now hinted that it will release its first ever headset soon.

As a sequel to multimodal AI on Ray Ban Meta smart glasses, owners of Quest 3 in the US and Canada will soon be able to use Meta AI while in-headset. Meta will be deprecating the existing voice commands on Horizon OS since Meta AI with Vision will be able to handle voice commands as well as visual input from Passthrough.

Augmented reality (AR) is one of the most popular and prevalent uses of smart glasses, headsets and heads-up devices today. Now, its market is projected to increase in value until it is worth just over $210 billion by 2031. AR gaming is backed to contribute to a third of this growth.

Amazon Prime Day sale has brought the RayNeo Pocket TV price down by $50. Released in May of this year, the Google TV device is now available at $129. But this is a limited-time deal, and it will go back up to its regular $179 tag after 11.59 PM PT on Wednesday or 2.59 AM ET on Thursday.

Amazon Prime Day deals are live, and the Rayneo Air 2 have become more affordable than at launch. With this limited-time discount in place, the AR glasses have dropped to $299.99, which is essentially the early bird pricing that the brand offered prior to launch.

Current projections from market research firm IDC point to fewer than 500,000 total sales for Apple's Vision Pro this year. Sales for the headset have cooled significantly in the US, although an international launch may reinvigorate retail movement.

JDI has unveiled a 4K x 4K IPS LCD microdisplay achieving the world’s highest 2527 ppi resolution for virtual and mixed-reality headsets on a glass substrate. The 2.15 in. microdisplay utilizes LTPO (low-temperature polycrystalline oxide) and COA (color filter on array) to help reduce power usage while giving users a better virtual image with less visible pixelization.

One of soccer's best-known clubs has confirmed that it will have something in common with the silicon found in millions of mobile devices worldwide. They are both branded with Qualcomm's Snapdragon logo, which will take pride of place on Manchester United Football Club's (MUFC's) official home shirts during its 2024/5 campaigns.

Apple is planning to bring Apple Intelligence to its Vision Pro headset. The advanced AI will deliver notification summaries, writing assistance, and an enhanced version of Siri. HomePod and HomePod mini will reportedly never get any of those new features due to Assistance requiring lots of RAM to function well.

Apple's spatial computing headset, the Vision Pro, has only been available in the US since its launch in February. Months later, it's finally coming to other key markets such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore in a move allowing Apple to grow its customer base, make the headset more popular and broaden its appeal.

SKB Cases has launched the iSeries Apple Vision Pro Case to provide protection against impact, water, dust, and theft. Apple Vision Pro headsets have a cracked cover glass repair cost of $799, so the $224.99 SKB case provides affordable peace of mind when transporting the Vision Pro.

The LilyGo T-Glass is an affordable set-up of AR glasses that look more like the old Google Glass than its modern contemporaries. While the T-Glass is limited in scope compared to something the XREAL Air, LilyGo is only charging $41 for them.

Canon has launched the RF-S3.9mm F3.5 STM Dual Fisheye APS-C lens for VR content production. A 144 degree, wide-angle view enables VR bloggers to easily create 3D content. The lens is compatible with the Canon EOS R7 mirrorless camera.

Sony PlayStation VR 2 should be available for the PC from August. However, according to anonymous sources, Sony no longer seems to have high hopes for the VR headset.

Apple is preparing to release the Vision Pro in more markets this summer. In the meantimme, a source has offered new insights into the development of next-generation models, including that Apple has stopped working on a so-called Vision Pro 2.

XREAL has now released the Beam Pro globally, less than a month after the device's initial debut. Surprisingly, XREAL has priced the Beam Pro almost as aggressively as it did in China. The company is also offering a 25% voucher against early Beam Pro orders for those who already own the original Beam.

CheckMag The PlayStation VR2 PC adapter makes the PlayStation VR 2 headset compatible with PC and Steam VR. The hardware spec gives players an experience that is on par with the Valve Index and arguably better than the Meta Quest 3 for a significantly cheaper price.

Acer is building upon its SpatialLabs 3D ecosystem with the launch of the SpatialLabs Eyes Stereo Camera, a compact weatherproof camera that can not just capturing stereoscopic photos and videos but also supports 3D livestreaming and video conferencing. The camera features a weatherproof body and selfie mirror, and will be available in Q3 of this year for $549.

Apple will finally expand availability for the first-gen Vision Pro later in 2024, according to some new reports. The VR/AR headset is set to be released to a shortlist of additional countries on that date, in which Apple Stores will be re-decorated and possibly even re-configured in order to sell the ultra-premium (and ultra-expensive) headgear.

Fukui, Japan has unveiled the Wowride Ikoss Fukui Go as the world’s first extended reality bus that displays virtual routes while the bus runs real routes. The XR routes are designed to give riders a new form of in-bus entertainment along otherwise mundane routes between Fukui Station and popular points-of-interest.

The Spacetop G1 is the second product from startup Sightful. Succeeding last year's Spacetop, the Spacetop G1 is not only lighter and more powerful than its predecessor but also slightly cheaper to boot.

XREAL held a launch event in China today, in which the company unveiled the Beam Pro. While it may look and even function like an Android smartphone, it’s actually a spatial computing terminal for the company’s AR glasses. It’s currently up for preorder, with a starting price of CNY 1,299 (about $179).

Sony has already outlined that it intends to bring PC compatibility to the PlayStation VR2 headset. Based on a new leak, the PS VR2 will no longer be tied to the PS5 courtesy of a dedicated PC adapter that Sony will release later this year.

Insta360 has announced a Summer 2024 sale with up to $80 off some of its latest innovative lifestyle and vlogging companions such as the Ace Pro action-cam, X3 360-degree camera and the 2-in-1 GO 3. Then again, there might be more cost-effective deals on that last one elsewhere.

Stanford Computational Imaging Lab engineers have developed a lightweight, AR glasses prototype. Key to this innovation is an AI-powered display that projects a 3D image through a thin, optical waveguide without using bulky lenses. This opens the door to commercial, holographic AR glasses that are lighter than currently available headsets

Announced in April of this year, Rokid AR Lite, the first AR glasses powered by the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, will be available on Kickstarter on May 27. With that SoC, the suite brings the same level of power and versatility that you would find in mid-range smartphones. The launch price is $749, with early adopters having the chance to get it at $499.

Unistellar, known for its smart telescopes, will soon be launching the Envision, a pair of AR-infused smart binoculars that overlay contextual information like paths and landmarks over a landscape, or constellations and planets in the night sky, even guiding the viewer’s eye towards nearby points of interest. The Envision will be launched on Kickstarter for a limited introductory price of $599.

Viture has unveiled the Viture Pro XR glasses with 120 Hz refresh rate, electrochromic dimming, and Harman tuned sound. The display panels produce up to 4000 nits from a 135” virtual screen. The glasses can connect to popular game consoles and smartphones.

Snapchat aims to bring back the AR lenses to desktop with a Chrome extension, which is now available for a public preview. This extension allows people to use fun AR lenses in video calls, virtual conferences, and more.

Looking Glass factory has just released two new 16- and 32-inch ‘holographic’ monitors that can display 3D content to multiple viewers at once without requiring a special glasses or headset. The monitors are largely intended for professional and commercial applications, and are available in either landscape or vertical oriented versions.

KIWI design touts its latest Made for Meta accessory as the best (and possibly best-lit) new way to store and/or display one of the OEM's VR headsets. The stand also functions as a charger and controller stand for either the Quest 2, 3 or Pro, and has a number of multi-color RGB pre-sets.

Ultraleap has released the Hyperion platform, a high-performance, high-accuracy hand-tracker software for its Leap Motion Controller 2 AR-tracker camera and AR/VR/XR headsets that have AR cameras and USB accessory ports. The flexible, customizable software allows users and developers to quickly customize hand-tracking models to suit their needs.

RayNeo has partnered with SEI Robotics to present the Pocket TV: a new way to get Google TV apps and services on the former brand's virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) glasses. The portable device also doubles as a power bank and even external storage for Air- or X-series headsets, and also sports remote control-like buttons.

Volkswagen has announced that the Pro S version of the ID.3 electric car can get from 0 to 62 miles per hour (mph) thanks to a more powerful motor. It also has some of the marque's latest infotainment and UI features, and can also charge faster with battery pre-conditioning. It can also be configured with a Harman Kardon sound system.

Razer has turned its hand to virtual and/or augmented reality (VR/AR) with its latest accessory. Its new Adjustable Head Strap System is custom-made for the Meta Quest 3, and is backed to balance and stabilize the headset for any user, regardless of head size. It also has an optional Facial Interface to enhance comfort and prevent light-bleed.

Rokid has announced its Kickstarter campaign for the Rokid AR Lite suite. Users can enjoy multimedia or work within a multi-window virtual environment with the ultralight Rokid Max 2 AR glasses powered by the Rokid Station 2 host unit. This suite is a follow-up to the 2023 Rokid AR Studio.

HTC has something new to add to its U series of Android smartphones, according to a new leak. It might have some decent internals to drive an up-to-date OS, an on-trend Qualcomm processor included. It is tipped to succeed a device with an AMOLED display and an AR/VR tie-in.

Volkswagen has showcased its latest developments in automotive design at the 2024 Auto China event. The next-gen features are projected to come combined with Level 4 autonomous driving in the upcoming ID. CODE e-SUV. The new range of youth-friendly ID.UX electric vehicles has also been announced during the event.

Facebook's parent company has launched Meta Horizon OS for third-party VR headsets, the same operating system that powers Meta Quest. Two of the very first companies that have jumped on board are Asus and Lenovo, with Microsoft working with the company to bring a "limited-edition" VR headset that's "inspired by Xbox."

Canon Japan has developed a mixed-reality headset to enjoy live music performances outside traditional performance venues. This headset allows music goers to enjoy a more realistic performance than watching it on television or other sources.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, consumer interest in Apple's Vision Pro is on its way down, as indicated by a drop in the demand for demos at Apple Stores. While the AR/VR industry has seldom managed to maintain user enthusiasm beyond initial launch, the Vision Pro also suffers from other problems of its own making - including a high price tag, tediousness of use, and the lack of a 'killer app' for the device, as pointed out by Gurman.

QIDI asserts that it can bring all the advantages of augmented reality (AR) to the user's outdoor adventures with its upcoming product. The VIDA glasses are touted to pack all the tech necessary to make cycling futuristic, a heads-up display for info on performance, speed and heart-rate via in-built sensors included. They are also projected to replace the equipment necessary to keep teams together safely.

Why choose between QLED and micro-OLED displays when you can have either - or even both? That new feature debuts in the new Super version of Pimax' Crystal virtual reality (VR) headset. It can support a resolution of up to 4K at 90Hz, has a "massive" field of view (FOV) and has integrated audio. It debuts alongside its new Light sibling for potentially high-res, lightweight PCVR experiences on more of a budget.

For a limited time, you can score a free pair of Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC by purchasing the XREAL Air 2 Pro smart glasses. The bundled noise cancelling wireless earbuds generally go for $99.99, and they work well with augmented reality (AR) glasses.

Dyson has improved the boring task of vacuuming a home with CleanTrace, an augmented reality app to visualize the missed areas. This tool ensures manual Dyson users that they have covered every last nook and cranny of their homes.

Sony asserts that its next flagship camera for dedicated pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) recording will leap to the forefront of professional subject-tracking on its launch. The BRC-AM7 is touted to be the world's lightest and smallest device of its form-factor on its launch, yet pack the picture quality and format support to match some of the OEM's other flagship video cameras.

The Meta build 64.0 is rolling out to Quest headsets in phases. While the release brings new features to the Quest 2 and Quest Pro, it focuses on improvements for the Quest 3. These include higher resolution and image quality for Passthrough and support to Use Apps While Lying Down.

Meta Quest 2 is back on sale. For a limited time, the virtual reality headset is now available for $199 on Amazon and $199.99 on Best Buy. That’s a generous drop from the regular price tag of $250.

In a recent email to developers, Meta has given details about how the support for the original Quest VR headset will be cut off. The email also outlines information about the future of the headset.