XR weekly round-up: Windows will soon run on Quest 3, high-end VR headset gets cheaper & Valve Index 2 rumors
Meta Quest becomes a Windows PC, Pimax Crystal Super with Retina display comes for $1,695, Valve is probably working on Index 2 and Batman VR gets MR-Mode— the XR highlights of the week.
In our weekly "XR Update" overview, you will always find the most important XR news from the past week with a brief summary. If you are interested in a particular topic, click on the link to the full article in the relevant paragraph. As usual, we provide you with background information and opinions in addition to the facts.
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Content
XR hardware: News on VR, AR and mixed reality headsets
Pimax Crystal Super: Upcoming high-end VR headset with “Retina resolution” will be cheaper than expected
Pimax presents the final specs of the Crystal Super, which is set to achieve Retina-level resolution with 57 pixels per degree. The headset offers a 120° field of view, aspherical glass lenses, eye and inside-out tracking and will be available for $1,695, with installment payments starting at a deposit of $999 plus 24 installments of $32.99 each.
Meta Quest: Update 72 could bring these features
The beta version of Update 72 for Meta Quest hints at new features such as live subtitling of spoken content, a virtual selfie camera, app folders for PC VR apps, smooth transitions in the pass-through section for superimposed keyboards and a dedicated photo gallery app. Improvements such as opening apps by drag-and-drop in the room are also included.
Is Valve Index 2 coming after all? New clues have emerged
VR leaker Brad Lynch has found evidence of new VR controllers from Valve, codenamed Roy, which are said to be well advanced. Roy is a reference to Blade Runner and a strong indication that the controllers are being developed in parallel with a new VR headset codenamed Deckard, which, like the Steam Deck, could also be intended for playing flat games.
Meta Quest 3 will soon be a Windows computer
Microsoft is bringing Windows to the Meta Quest 3 and 3S in December. Windows will not run on the headset itself, but will be streamed to the VR headset via a local Windows PC and Wi-Fi or the Windows 365 cloud. Microsoft and Meta promise a seamless user experience with the ability to extend the Windows desktop in VR.
XR market and business news
Meta rolls out AI functions for Ray-Ban Smart Glasses in first European countries
Meta rolls out first AI functions for Ray-Ban | Meta Smart Glasses in selected European countries. The AI assistant Meta AI is now available in France, Italy, Ireland and Spain and can answer general questions by voice command. The visual AI analysis of points of interest remains limited to the USA, Australia and Canada for the time being.
VR headsets from $11.99 per month: Pimax introduces installment model for high-end VR headsets
Pimax wants to make expensive VR headsets more affordable with its new Prime membership. The program starts with the Pimax Crystal Light, which is available for a down payment of $599 plus 24 monthly installments of $11.99. Prime members also receive benefits such as early access to new software features and prioritized support.
VR games and XR apps: All the latest news
The Game Awards 2024: These 5 VR games are nominated
Five VR games are nominated for Best VR Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024: Arizona Sunshine Remake, Asgard's Wrath 2, Batman: Arkham Shadow, Metal: Hellsinger VR and Metro Awakening. Batman: Arkham Shadow is considered a strong contender for the title, while the nomination of Metal: Hellsinger VR comes as a surprise.
Story trailer for VR hit Alien: Rogue Incursion arouses anticipation
The first story trailer for Alien: Rogue Incursion promises a nerve-wracking VR game in which you travel to LV-354 to find out what happened to your friend and what dangerous experiments were carried out there. The trailer shows how the station has been overrun by evolved Xenomorphs and how you have to fight them with various weapons.
Meta Quest 3: Try out these amazingly real mixed reality people
Thanks to Gaussian splatting, the VR app Gracia for Meta Quest offers the most believable volumetric moving shots of people ever seen in VR. Three dynamic scenes are available in the app, which can be freely explored, scaled and slowed down. The technology shows great potential, but is not yet fully developed.
Meta Quest 3(S): Batman game receives MR content
A number of new features are planned for Batman: Arkham Shadow in the coming months. These include German dubbing, new challenge maps, a character viewer, a New Game+ game mode, MR-enhanced content and a new post-credit scene. The biggest update to date, 1.1, has already brought over 1300 changes and improvements.
Reader question: What does virtual reality still need for the big breakthrough?
In order for VR to really become suitable for the masses, VR headsets need to mature into lightweight and easy-to-use all-purpose computers that allow you to do your work more efficiently than with other computers. They must become significantly lighter and smaller, offer a flawless view of the physical world and establish a new input paradigm. The technology is still a long way from achieving this.
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