Virtual Reality (VR) / Augmented Reality (AR)

Apple's inaugural Vision Pro will be put together in the facilities of a Chinese manufacturing company, according to a new report. The assembly partner will apparently build the XR headset from parts sourced from a number of other firms, Some of them also supply parts for other products such as the iPhone, whereas others specialize in the virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) market.

In choosing an official product name for its "first spatial computer", Apple apparently blanked on the fact that another major electronics OEM also calls its flagship AR glasses the "Vision" series. Furthermore, it seems that Huawei did in fact trademark the name Vision Pro in China well in advance, meaning the Cupertino-based giant may now have a problem introducing its first-gen XR headset to that major market.

Apple's senior vice president of Hardware Technologies was a notable absentee from the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, along with the new Mac Pro and upgraded Mac Studio. Srouji has been a stalwart in Apple's recent launch videos, but he was strangely not anywhere to be seen this time.

The inaugural Vision Pro's launch has prompted a Twitter thread from a researcher who contributed to "neurotechnology" development at Apple outlining details on the headset (or its possible successors) that might be interpreted as meaning that the hardware (or its AI, rather) is capable of reading the user's mind. That may or may not be the case; nevertheless, the thread has helped fuel reservations on visionOS-powered devices and their potential effects on users and humanity as a whole.

The long-anticipated Apple Vision Pro headset is finally here. While some are lavishing praise on it, not everyone is. Notably, legendary former Apple hardware engineer Tony Fadell says that Apple has "Jumped the Shark" with it.

Mixed reality by Apple has finally made its long-awaited global debut at WWDC 2023. The Cupertino behemoth claims to have built a potentially definitive take on the technology from the ground up, resulting in a 3D experience now backed to impose macOS-like UI features on real life as much as possible. On that note, the headset is also rated to switch to completely immersion for entertainment purposes instead.

Apple is now backed by more industry leaders than ever before to re-imagine itself as the next big extended-reality (XR) brand during its imminent WWDC23 event. The Cupertino giant is now tipped to offer the conference's attendees the chance to test the hardware in question in person, which, according to the latest leaks, will strive to stay ahead of its competition with high-tech internals and a compelling UX.

OPPO backs its first-gen MR headset as ready and able to take on anything else in the fast-growing mixed or extended reality (MR/XR) space with "advanced technology and unique innovations". They include the binocular video pass-through (VPT) feature tipped to become the next hot spec among headsets of that type, as well as the same rapid SuperVOOC charging as the OEM's smartphones. Then again, it has yet to become available to the public.

Meta continues to offer improvements to the Quest 2, even after announcing the Quest 3. Later this year, the company will introduce a major upgrade for its three-year-old VR headset, along with a price cut to position the Quest 2 as a cheaper alternative to the new Quest 3.

Meta has revealed its next consumer-grade VR headset. Arriving later this year as the 'most powerful Meta Quest' headset to date, the Quest 3 has debuted just ahead of Apple's first VR outing.

The well-known Bloomberg correspondent Mark Gurman claims to have been able to test the upcoming third-gen Quest headset from Meta ahead of its launch. Its apparently mixed reality (MR) -focused build is described as updated in some areas compared to its predecessor, although it may fall short of its rumored impending Apple rival in some respects.

XREAL, formerly known as Nreal, has announced the Beam accessory for the Air AR glasses. The device makes the headset compatible with various games consoles, laptops and smartphones running Windows or iOS. Plus, the brand's new Spatial Display enhances the AR experience.

Acer has announced a potentially significant expansion of the SpatialLabs Developer tool-kit for the creation of new "3D stereoscopic experiences" today (May 26, 2023). The OEM has unveiled its own SteamVR Bridge driver, as well as a certification for OpenXR Runtime. SpatialLabs Pro Devices are also now rated to support the Unity plug-in, which is popular among professional creators of various disciplines.

Apple is expected to introduce a first-gen mixed-reality headset at its impending WWDC23 event. Now, some more potential design and function tidbits for the inaugural, allegedly Jony Ive-influenced, product have leaked out. They purport to cover its blend of virtual and augmented reality (VR and AR) applications, its potential user-friendliness and how it will be something other than a Meta Quest competitor.

Sightful, an AR-focused startup, has launched the Spacetop, the world’s first augmented reality laptop. The device marries a regular laptop keyboard with an integrated lightweight AR headset to create an immersive productivity and entertainment experience.

Apple's freshly-announced official itinerary for its latest World-wide Developer's Conference (or WWDC23) includes a day-long Special Event in addition to the usual keynote speech and State of the Union address. The augmented schedule has re-ignited speculation that the Cupertino giant will unveil its first-gen mixed-reality headset on the date in question.

Syntech has introduced its VR Elite accessory for Meta Quest 2 owners via Amazon. It is rated to enhance comfort and stability while wearing the headset by acting as an extra strap, and also integrates an external battery pack. Accordingly, the 2023 Red Dot Design Award-winning accessory may add up to six hours of extra game-play while providing potentially improved balance and control in headset-based gaming.

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.