There are a lot going on in the immersive technology scene this month. Let’s unpack them all right away.
- Oculus Quest
Arguably one of the most anticipated VR headset this year. Unveiled during Facebook F8 keynote, Quest definitely received the most attention in the conference. Full 6DoF VR experience without any cable and the line-up contents are amazing to put it lightly: Beat Saber, Vader Immortal, Hotshot, Robo Recall and many more!Quest is ready for preorder and will be released on 21 May. We at App Igniter are very excited to have preordered 2 sets. Can’t wait to show it to our clients who have also been eagerly asking for a demo when the sets arrived.
- Oculus Rift S
Touted as an upgraded version from the original Rift, but not yet v2.0. The biggest difference would be in the tracking mechanism. Just like Quest, the tracking is inside out using its 5 cameras on the headset. No more external sensors. The rest are minor upgrades that are surely more fitting for today’s VR standard. I find it as a rival for Windows Mixed Reality headsets who have been dominating event showcases due to their easier and cleaner setup. Rift S might not have enough appeal for VR enthusiasts and professionals, but it’s surely a great first device for newcomers. - Valve Index
Finally joined the fray in the hardware arena, Valve comes in prepared by its SteamVR (which also means HTC Vive) endeavour. In a glance it seems like a direct competitor to HTC Vive Pro. There is no major surprise in its specs. It’s essentially Vive Pro with cheaper price – US$1,000. The biggest difference would be in their most-awaited knuckle controllers. But then again, it’s just a controller. Any SteamVR device can use it too. I’m, quite apathetic towards Index as VR enthusiast, but I think it’s still a solid product. - HP Reverb
Coming from the line of Windows Mixed Reality, Reverb is an upgraded version from HP’s original WMR headset. Boasting 2,160 × 2,160 pixels, it is a huge 2.25x improvement – even higher than HTC Vive Pro. HP stated that it is geared more towards enterprise users but still available for consumers. It will be released on 6 May with US$600 price tag for consumer… or US$650 for pro edition which comes with a leather-style face cushion, an additional 0.6M cable (for use with VR backpack PCs), and one year commercial warranty. - HoloLens 2 Development Edition
A developer-focused bundle of HoloLens 2 has just been announced. There is no difference hardware-wise compared to the enterprise edition. But the development edition includes $500 of Azure credits, 3-month free trial to Unity Pro and PiXYZ Plugin for CAD data. Another difference is in the payment options. You can opt for one-time US3,500 or US$99/month to get the device. This is a great financing option for smaller and even indie companies hoping to dive into Mixed Reality.
I’m not sure why, but many XR companies decided to announce something around the same time. My guess is probably hoping to dilute some attention from Facebook F8 and stealing it for their exposure.
Anyway, it’s still a big win both for consumer and professional in the metaverse.
