Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR)

Virtual reality (VR) is touted to take a player to new dimensions of gaming - right up until it does it literally and increases the risk of crashing back into real reality, or its very real walls, obstacles and personal possessions, that is. Virtuix claims to be able to solve these problems with a version of its Omni "VR treadmill" for the home, creating a space in which a user can move freely and safely with less danger to or from the non-gaming world.

Believe it or not, but HTC still has some skin in the smartphone game. The company has taken to its Twitter account to tease the previously leaked U23 Pro 5G, which is set to be unveiled on May 18. The new smartphone is a mid-range device, but it looks to be linked in some way to HTC's VR efforts with Viverse branding included as part of the announcement.

With Apple's rumored "Reality Pro" MR headset unveiling just around the corner, it has surfaced that Apple has registered a new trademark for "xrOS". The unveiling of the headset and its new operating system is expected to take place at Apple's WWDC 2023 event coming next month, where developers will be able to get their hands on the device for the first time and begin conceiving of new apps they can create for it.

HTC has indicated that it will unleash a successor to the Desire 22 Pro later in May 2023. It is thought to launch with potentially significant rear camera and display specs (on paper, at least), with more moderate battery and charging upgrades. Then again, the OEM may choose to focus on use-cases besides mobile photography or mid-range performance with this next-gen "Pro".

Goertek predicts that extended, mixed and/or augmented reality (XR/MR/AR) is ready to take over, through the medium of the glasses it helps other companies to make. To this end, the OEM also now asserts that smartwatch-like devices will be best to pair with and control this eyewear of the future. It has presented a reference "smart bracelet" demonstrating the high-speed, high-precision connectivity that this combination might need to work.

Apple is tipped to try and make the world accept its Reality (headset) during WWDC 2023. The first-gen VR/AR platform is now backed to come with its own version of Safari, FaceTime, Fitness, Siri and more on its allegedly impending launch. However, it seems the Cupertino giant has gone and developed something for it that might end up being a major sticking point to its adoption.

Half-Life: Alyx No VR mod now allows players to finish the game's campaign in its entirety with a keyboard and mouse. Some in-game mechanics, however, are disabled.

Insta360 has announced that it is offering a better shot at getting one of its high-end cameras for potentially lifestyle vlog- or even VR-quality content during its 2023 Spring Sale. The deals in question include up to US$110 off the innovative, modular ONE RS action camera, the top-end version with the 1-inch sensor and Leica branding included. Then again, Amazon still does better on some options.

Volkswagen has announced that it is nearly ready to unveil its new flagship electric vehicle, the ID.7, to its target markets such as Europe and North America. The marque has revealed more of the sedan's potential advantages and upgrades ahead of its mid-April 2023 "World Premiere". They include the new internals touted to deliver an improved maximum range and charging rate.

According to the latest predictions of respected industry figures, Apple's first-gen AR/VR product is not ready to be unveiled during 2023's WWDC event. Now, however, a well-known tech correspondent now purports to negate these rumors and asserts that the opposite is the case. This may be because Apple plans to make xrOS app development a reality during the "historic" show.

The chip may also use 26,400 times less energy and 180 times less VRAM and can be integrated in a portable device no larger than a smartphone. It is designed to simplify the conversion of 2D material into editable 3D models for the Metaverse.

According to a new report, Apple has once again delayed its mixed reality glasses plans. While Apple's WWDC 2023 teaser hints at something AR or VR-related, mass production is said to have been pushed to August or September. Apple could still have plenty planned for WWDC 2023 though, including showcases of new OS updates and Mac hardware.

Apple has reportedly held an event during which its inaugural mixed-reality headset had been revealed - however, it was apparently a private launch preview for about one hundred of the OEM's own top executives. Then again, this alleged exclusive sneak peek is billed as a potentially pivotal juncture in the Reality series' development, as it was held in the same venue as that of many of the Cupertino giant's public and ever-popular product launches.

ZTE has previewed the Nubia Neovision Glass before its release in China next month. Not only has the company confirmed key details about the AR glasses, like their use of a Micro OLED display, but it has also revealed launch pricing.

Honor has released the Movie Glasses, which it boasts can be used as a portable cinema thanks to their ability to simulate vast displays. Supposedly, the Honor Movie Glasses can create the effect of a 201-inch display while also delivering virtual surround sound.

At US$1,499.99, the Quest Pro started as one of the more expensive virtual reality (VR) headsets on the market. However, that price has received a "new regular price", as has that of its Quest 2 sibling in certain configurations. The discount is touted to drive Meta-brand VR adoption among consumers, possibly ahead of its headsets' reportedly upcoming upgrades.

Details of two unreleased Meta Quest VR headsets have leaked, courtesy of The Verge. Cited in an internal roadmap, 'Ventura' and 'La Jolla' will serve different product segments, with the former billed as a cheaper or more 'accessible' alternative to this year's Quest 3. Meanwhile, La Jolla will be a successor to the Quest Pro of sorts.

New Quest 3 information has surfaced online. Purportedly, Meta plans to bring several improvements to market over the current Quest 2 with a view to getting 'enthusiasts fired up'. The Quest 3 will cost even more than the current Quest 2 though, which now costs US$499 with 256 GB of storage.

According to a report, Meta is working on multiple sets of AR glasses that it hopes will supersede smartphones by the 2030s. While second-generation smart glasses are due later this year, Meta is not expected to bring its most 'technically advanced' model to market until 2027. Meta's AR glasses will be joined by complementing wearables, including a 'neural interface band'.

Volkswagen has now previewed its ne ID.3 with promises of upgraded design and 'smart car' attributes made in line with "the wishes of our customers”. Accordingly, its exterior and its aerodynamics are touted as "sharper", while its interior may get softer (and even more sustainable). However, and possibly most importantly, its infotainment system overhaul is rated to take the most cutting driver feedback into account.

Xiaomi unveiled the Wireless AR Glass Discovery Edition at MWC 2023. The gadget has a micro OLED display with up to 1,200 nits brightness and electrochromic lenses which can turn black. You can use the device to watch content in an immersive environment or use gestures to interact with physical and virtual objects in your space.

OnePlus and Qualcomm have teamed up to make the former's new flagship smartphone the first Snapdragon 8 Gen 2-powered device compatible with Snapdragon Spaces, a developer's resource for augmented reality (AR) applications. The partners assert that it allows the 11 to fully unlock the potential of the latest Qualcomm Wireless AR Wireless Smart Viewers, and to stage "an AR concert" during MWC 2023.

Apple has been said to unleash its inaugural mixed-reality headset as early as March 2023. However, according to a famed tech correspondent, these plans have now fallen through, and the Cupertino giant will settle for debuting the first-gen hardware during its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June instead. Then again, it is possible that this might be the better option.

The Ultralite OEM Platform is something of an all-in-one reference design for next-gen smart glasses from Vuzix. The manufacturer asserts that the new, lightweight form-factor for wireless, smartphone-linked spectacles can leverage the "fast-growing capabilities" of Visual GPT or OpenAI for consumer-grade augmented reality (AR) or heads-up display applications.

Galaxy Watch-series devices are probably among the best-known Wear OS products out there. However, their maker Samsung may plan to upgrade their successors to a much more unique and unexpected feature: the ability to cast an extra display onto the user's hand thanks to their own tiny LED projectors. The concept could also lead to a future with sci-fi screen-free electronics and UIs.

ZTE has teased the Nubia Pad 3D and Nubia Neovision Glass, two of many devices that the company will showcase later this month during MWC 2023 in Barcelona. Also up for release is the ZTE 5G FWA router with a built-in internet speed dial and other products that the company believes are part of 'shaping [an] intelligent lifestyle.

Meta is now slated to forge ahead with successors to the Quest Pro headset. The OEM is said to equip them with custom displays with microOLED from leading supplier LG Display. According to industry sources, SK Hynix may also contribute parts for these next-gen VR headset components.

NR-Light is a new type of 5G pitched at moderate-bandwidth applications that fall between those like SIM-enabled broadband devices and, for example, the things of IoT systems. Qualcomm has just introduced the first modem and RF system specifically for it. The Snapdragon X35 may thus be found in next-gen, upgraded counterparts to current 4G/LTE smartwatches, AR glasses and perhaps even laptops.

Meta has discounted the Quest Pro, the company's high-end alternative to the Quest 2. Originally available for US$1,499.99, the sale takes the Quest Pro to a slightly more palatable US$1,099.99. The VR headset is now also cheaper in the UK, but only by £200.

Apple is projected to get into the mixed-reality hardware game for the first time this year with the "Reality Pro". A prolific tech correspondent has critiqued the Cupertino giant's alleged decision ahead of time, speculating that the headset may not prove the iPhone-esque instant hit the OEM might wish for.

Apple’s first mixed reality headset is rumored to release this year. According to the latest report by Bloomberg, the device will feature an interface that is practically identical to iOS/iPadOS, advanced hand and eye tracking, a breath of video calling features, and up to 2 hours of runtime on a single charge.

Lenovo has introduced Project Chronos, an Intel Raptor Lake-based machine designed to capture motion without needing a dedicated wearable. Still a concept product at this stage, Project Chronos has seven display outputs and runs Windows 10, among other features.

Dell's Concept Nyx is an exploratory idea for future methods of connecting people for business, gaming, and more. The crux of Concept Nyx is the personalization of tools like mixed reality cameras and gaming controllers.

The PlayStation VR2 has been developed together with the PS5 from the very beginning, said Sony, in order to create a perfect match and a single USB-C cable connection. Porting original PlayStation VR games to the PS VR2 won't be an easy task, as the rendering and controller tracking are rather different on the new headset.

HTC has shared more details about its next VR headset. Aimed at reestablishing the company within the consumer VR market, the unnamed VR headset will debut next month during CES 2023. The so-called HTC Vive Flowcus is expected to be a prosumer headset capable of delivering a 1,920 x 1,920-pixel native resolution and 120 Hz refresh rate per eye, among other features.

John Carmack has resigned from Meta and the development team behind the Meta Quest VR headset. Citing inefficiency problems that plague the company as a whole and VR development specifically, Carmack has quit Meta to work on his AI-focused startup.

OPPO's already action-packed Inno Day event has also introduced the OEM's latest augmented reality (AR) device. The second-gen Air Glass is touted as durable yet super-lightweight, and to come in various styles and support corrective lenses if necessary. They are rated for AR applications such as real-time captions and translation, head-mounted navigation and conferencing.

Now that Wi-Fi 7 is all but here, Qualcomm has anticipated demand for new total-home or home mesh systems compatible with this new standard. The OEM's latest Immersive Home Platforms are touted as small yet powerful enough to deliver 20 gigabit per second (Gb/s) worth of broadband capacity in unobtrusive form-factors.

Huawei has started selling the Vision Glass in China, its latest pair of smart glasses. The Huawei Vision Glass can create up to 120-inch virtual displays across its Micro OLED panels, which operate at 1080p and 60 Hz.

Xiaomi has unveiled its latest router official alongside its new flagship Android smartphones. The first-gen device can support up to four 2.5 gigabit (Gb) wired connections, and also purports to support "10Gb wireless" thanks to its tri-band support. The OEM also asserts that it is fast and powerful enough to even support "light NAS" work if necessary.

Apple has been thought to unveil Reality OS (or, possibly, realityOS) as the new "mixed reality" dimension for its software ecosystem in 2023. Now, according to a knowledgeable Bloomberg blogger, the Cupertino giant has decided to make a practically last-minute change to this branding. The volte-face apparently involves a whole new trademark for a very different naming scheme.

Bestware’s Black Friday campaign kicks off on November 23 at 10 AM CET and lasts until November 30 10 AM CET. There are many great deals for XMG gaming laptops with optional liquid cooling unit and the Schenker slim and light notebooks, plus Bestware also offers discounts for select desktop PCs and VR headsets.

Huawei has introduced a new pair of smart glasses in China. Sold as the Vision Glass, the smart glasses can reproduce giant and colour-accurate virtual displays thanks to Micro OLED displays.

Apple is tipped to raise its challenge to Meta's bid for AR/VR dominance from early 2023 with the launch of its first ever headset. Now, the inaugural potential Quest-series competitor is said to go into production around that time at the facilities of an established manufacturing partner. Meanwhile, for those who can help make the software for the alleged new hardware, the Cupertino giant may be hiring.

MediaTek announced this week that it would be developing the silicon used to power both the PS VR2 headset and the PS Sense controllers. Sony stated that it chose to work with MediaTek because the chip manufacturer could develop an SoC that was powerful and efficient enough to meet their demands, although cost is another probable factor.

Pimax has revealed the Portal, a gaming handheld based on Android. Not only can the Pimax Portal be used as a compact gaming device, but it is capable of integrating with a VR headset, an AMD Ryzen 7 6800U-powered mini-PC or a gaming PC for a wireless VR experience.

Philips claims that its new crowdfunding campaign for the Screeneo U5 took just five minutes to achieve its goal. The new successor to the U4 (also launched on Indiegogo) upgrades to a 4K UHD resolution and an image of up to 150 inches. It has an impressively high max brightness rating and has a UI based on Android 11.

Sony has revealed more details about the PlayStation VR 2 headset. Not only has the company announced the headset's price, but it has also confirmed PS VR2's pre-order and release dates. Sony has added another 11 titles to the VR headset's game list too.

The Snapdragon Summit is officially on, and will take place from its traditional Hawai'i setting in 2022. However, it will also be livestreamed, starting with its Day 1 keynote. The event is widely projected to introduce the new top-end 8 Gen 2 mobile processor, although Qualcomm asserts that it will also debut its latest developments in the areas of extended reality (XR) and artificial intelligence (AI) as well as new dedicated solutions for audio and connectivity tech.

Transparent displays are thought to have an ever-expanding place in the future, within commercial displays and signage at least. Now, BOE has unveiled the latest result of its research and development in this area. Its new MLED has launched as a kind of see-through display with enhanced brightness and transmittance.