Returning to Italy has left me a bit weary, yet undeniably cheerful. I trust that your Valentine’s Day was as delightful as mine and that you’re feeling happy as well. Let me share a small personal victory with you—my piece on Android XR and the camera permissions has caught some significant attention, landing mentions in tech publications like Road To VR, Upload VR, and Android Authority! It’s quite gratifying to have a moment in the spotlight 😊. Now, filled with this joy, let’s dive into the top XR stories of the week!
Top News of the Week
Ray-Ban Meta Glasses Achieve Impressive Milestone
Francesco Milleri, CEO of EssilorLuxottica, expressed his satisfaction with the Ray-Ban Meta glasses during the company’s Q4 2024 earnings call this week, citing that the glasses have sold an impressive 2 million units to date. This achievement aligns with insights I’ve heard from industry connections, indicating that customer retention is on the rise. When a product enjoys both high sales and strong user retention, it’s a clear sign of success.
With these positive results, Luxottica plans to increase investment in this line, aiming to boost production to over 10 million units by the close of 2026. The success of Ray-Ban Meta has ignited enthusiasm in the smartglasses arena, as evidenced by numerous startups showcasing AI-powered versions at CES and speculation around tech giants like Apple and Samsung pursuing similar products. However, a word of caution: while Ray-Ban Meta’s triumph is partly due to its iconic branding and Luxottica’s vast distribution network, it’s uncertain whether other tech companies can replicate this success.
Looking at the grander scheme, Luxottica’s target of producing 10 million units annually is impressive but modest compared to smartphone figures. Thus, widespread adoption is steadily increasing, but it remains to be seen if the market will maintain this momentum over the coming months.
Other Headlines Making Waves
Meta Ventures into Humanoid Robots
Bloomberg has reported that Meta is venturing into the development of humanoid robots through its Reality Labs division. Known for its work on XR headsets, the division is now crafting AI-driven robots capable of managing everyday household chores. With data collected from AR and VR headsets and the Project Aria glasses proving invaluable for this initiative, it makes sense for Reality Labs to tackle this project.
However, Meta’s focus isn’t on building these robots themselves. Instead, they aspire to develop crucial components—AI systems, sensors, and software—that other manufacturers can leverage to create and market these robots.
This rumor leaves me puzzled. Given Meta’s ongoing challenges with XR and the mounting financial pressures, exploring another complex and costly technology line seems like a risky move.
Apple Enhancing Vision Pro with Apple Intelligence
Bloomberg has also disclosed that Apple plans to integrate its Apple Intelligence into the Vision Pro headset. This upgrade, anticipated as early as April, will feature an updated mode for guest users and a spatial content app, with a possible beta release for developers imminent. In a related development, Apple appears to be exploring partnerships for introducing AI to its Chinese devices, with Tencent and Bytedance as potential collaborators. This integration aligns with expectations surrounding the eventual release of a more powerful Vision Pro model, likely empowered by an M5 chipset.
Incorporating Apple Intelligence into the Vision Pro could significantly boost Apple’s competitive edge, especially against Google, whose integration of Gemini within its Android XR OS has been highly regarded. As a result, we’re witnessing fierce competition as leading brands like Meta, Apple, and Google race to enhance their offerings.
AugmentOS Paves the Way for App Development in Smartglasses
Mentra has unveiled AugmentOS, a smartphone app designed to streamline the development of applications for smartglasses. This innovative platform enables developers to create a single app (via the AugmentOS SDK) that functions across various smartglasses models. Mentra has partnered with Vuzix, ensuring that apps running on AugmentOS will be compatible with Vuzix Z100, Even Realities G1, and Mentra Mach1. The company also suggests compatibility with Ray-Ban Meta, though this claim hasn’t been officially substantiated on its website.
This project holds great promise. While smartglasses generate considerable buzz, the app development ecosystem remains fragmented and challenging. AugmentOS strives to remedy this by providing a cross-compatible platform for smartglasses app development. Its future adoption remains uncertain, yet it represents a commendable step toward unifying the smartglasses development landscape.
Noteworthy Mentions
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PSVR 2 Achieves Strong Holiday Sales with Price Cut
A substantial holiday discount, dropping from $550 to $350, spurred a fivefold increase in PSVR 2 sales during 2024 compared to the previous year. Although the numbers fall short of Quest’s, they are quite promising. A permanent price reduction could further benefit Sony’s headset strategy. -
Anduril Steps in for the IVAS Project
Anduril, the defense tech firm started by Palmer Luckey, is taking over the IVAS project from Microsoft, which will continue to supply Azure cloud services. Anduril will now provide the necessary hardware and software. Luckey’s company’s headset may better address soldiers’ needs than the previous HoloLens-based version. -
Wonderland Cloud Debuts for WebXR App Hosting
Create Worlds is rolling out Wonderland Cloud, a hosting service tailored to WebXR apps. It not only hosts applications but also offers multiplayer and spatialized voice chat features—enhancing WebXR experience development. -
NVIDIA Graphics Battle: RTX 5090 vs. 4090
Recently, YouTubers put the NVIDIA RTX 5090 through its paces against the RTX 4090 in VR scenarios, with unsurprising results favoring the newer model. -
Experience the NBA from Your Desk with Apple Vision Pro
The NBA’s Apple Vision Pro app now includes Tabletop mode, allowing fans to watch a miniature 3D game on their table. While exciting as an auxiliary feature, traditional screens remain my preferred viewing choice. -
Quest Store Discounts Popular Titles
With a major sale until February 23, the Quest Store is offering great deals on games such as Among Us VR and LEGO Bricktales. - PSVR 2’s First Hand-Tracking Game Debuts
Sony silently introduced hand-tracking for PSVR 2 last December, and Waltz Of The Wizard is now the first game to incorporate it, offering compelling hand-tracked magic-based gameplay.
Intriguing Content Updates
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Skydance’s Behemoth Receives Extensive Update
Behemoth’s latest update features over 700 bug fixes and enhancements. - Upcoming Releases and Announcements
Popular game Into The Radius 2 is eyeing an early 2025 release on Quest, signaling exciting times ahead.
It’s worth mentioning that Ready At Dawn was reportedly working on a ground-breaking VR game before its closure by Meta. The studio’s cofounder described it as potentially one of the most revolutionary VR games ever, but it seems costs derailed the dream. Given their history with innovative titles like Lone Echo, this news hits hard.
New games like The Midnight Walk and Five Nights at Freddy’s updates are on the horizon, and experimental titles continue to enrich the VR landscape. With creative tools like TouchDesk for Apple Vision Pro and unique gaming experiences, it seems the XR content realm is thriving.
Other Tidbits
Noteworthy mentions include John Carmack’s push for official Doom and Quake community ports and Dbrand’s creative new faceplate for the Apple Vision Pro. Additionally, both Crytek and Unity have announced job cuts amid shifting company priorities.
There’s also exciting news from Prima Immersive, with its “Sessions” series offering incredible video quality on Apple Vision Pro, thanks to their innovative Prima Encoder.
Charitable Mission
Switching gears, I’d like to focus on something altruistic. Instead of seeking donations for my blog this week, I urge you to consider supporting the Red Cross in its efforts to aid those affected by the war in Ukraine. Your help can make a difference in this ongoing humanitarian crisis. I want to express my gratitude to all my Patreon supporters for their continued encouragement.
Continuing with our XR fun and updates, let’s keep the spirit of innovation, creativity, and a touch of humor alive in the XR community!
Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey in the ever-evolving world of XR. Stay curious and connected!
