This abstract comes a bit later than common as a result of I’ve been busy writing a very long post to celebrate my ten years in XR! It’s unbelievable to have been right here for such a very long time… and to have written greater than 350 of those roundups of reports. I hope in these 10 years to have finished at the least one thing good for you of the XR communities. I hope we’ll do additionally the subsequent 10 years collectively…
Prime information of the week
VR is lifeless once more as a result of Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional gross sales have decreased
A brand new report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that the gross sales of the Imaginative and prescient Professional had an enormous lower after the preliminary preorders and so Apple had lower the anticipated 2024 shipments for worldwide orders. After this piece of reports, all retailers began writing that the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional has been a failure and that if even Apple failed, it implies that VR is lifeless.
We’ve been right here earlier than and I additionally publicly predicted that this second would have arrived. It appears that evidently mankind can method new applied sciences solely with hype or large disappointment, normally on this actual order (Gartner framed this very effectively in its Hype Cycle graph). And each time this simply hurts our ecosystem for no purpose.
It was predictable that the Imaginative and prescient Professional shipments would have decreased: all costly AR devices observe the identical pattern. They get offered out at launch after which gross sales lower, as a result of those that needed the gadget already purchased it at launch. I suppose folks the managers at Apple comprehend it very effectively: it’s unimaginable that the primary version of a brand new collection of gadgets, which even prices the large quantity of $3500 sells like hotcakes. And the enjoyable factor is that it couldn’t even promote like hotcakes, as a result of Apple can manufacture solely 500K gadgets a 12 months due to provide chain points. So, no VR just isn’t lifeless, and the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional just isn’t a failure. It’s simply that we have to give the expertise its time to develop appropriately.
In a chunk of separate information, each Gurman and Kuo agree that there gained’t be a brand new Apple gadget in 2025. Based on Gurman, Apple is hoping to launch the Imaginative and prescient Professional 2 on the finish of 2026. It’s also attempting to create a less expensive gadget, however it’s at the moment failing in its mission. In all probability it’s too onerous to slash the value in half whereas protecting Apple high quality ranges.
More info (Decrease of sales of Apple Vision Pro)
More info (One of the many posts claiming the failure of Apple and VR)
More info (Upload VR debunking the news)
More info (Apple Vision Pro 2 in 2026)
Different related information
Meta teases to showcase AR glasses that may make us go WOW
Meta’s Head of AR Glasses {Hardware} teased the corporate goes to indicate some AR glasses that may make us go “WOW” as the unique Rift did. This assertion is consistent with Boz’s claiming that this 12 months the corporate would have proven “probably the most superior [consumer electronics device] that we’ve ever produced as a species”. I see that Meta is hyping us the subsequent Join with very daring statements.
If I keep in mind effectively, the rumors talked about an costly prototype to be revealed this 12 months with round 70° FOV primarily based on modern expertise like MicroLED shows and lenses with silicon carbide. This gadget ought to have specs a lot above those we’re used to seeing in AR glasses, but ought to by no means go into commercialization as a result of too costly. The previous rumors say that as a substitute in 2027 Meta will launch to the market a tool with extra “regular” specs, like 50° FOV and LCOS show.
So, if the rumors are confirmed, there can really be a wow impact, however only for a showcase product that nobody will have the ability to use in a business setting. Which is cool, however… it’s only a teaser for the long run. This could be a good technique: as somebody urged to me, Apple confirmed that making folks see what the way forward for expertise is might be good to generate hype and provides a superb popularity to the model.
More info (Meta’s AR glasses — Road To VR)
More info (Meta’s AR glasses — Upload VR)
a16z’s members present curiosity in XR
Jack Soslow, an investing member of Andreessen Horowitz, has printed an extended thread on X (Twitter) to say that the XR market is rising effectively so now’s the fitting time to spend money on XR or to create an XR firm. One other member of the crew, the associate Andrew Chen, tweeted that a16z (the shortened model of Andreessen Horowitz) is “bullish” about AR/VR and at the moment investing in XR. He added additionally they have a fund open for startups within the gaming area. That is fairly huge information and requires correct commentary.
a16z is not only a random VC fund, it is among the most essential funds within the US and on the earth. The truth that a few of its members are endorsing XR so explicitly means lots. For positive different funds are going to repeat their angle as a result of VCs are used to following tendencies and hype. And they aren’t solely speaking about XR, however additionally they have a fund open about gaming, with AR/VR specified as very welcome applied sciences, that means that they’re really placing cash the place they are saying they may.
Mr. Soslow confirmed a graph of the gross sales of the iPhone and Quest the place we might see that to date the curves are very related and this is among the causes that makes him excited. However I’ve additionally to remark that the telephone and VR markets are very totally different: everybody has at the least a use case for the telephone (I imply… calling folks), however there may be not a transparent mainstream use case for VR (apart from gaming). So it’s a bit like evaluating pears with apples (or Apple, on this case. Sorry for the dad joke). Then firstly, a linear curve and an exponential curve look very related, and within the present graph, Quest just isn’t simulating the sharp uptake of the iPhone, but. Nonetheless, there are a lot of indicators that present that the XR market is rising effectively: as an illustration, Quest headsets are promoting greater than Xbox consoles, which is a exceptional consequence.
I personally imagine that we’re just a few years away from XR accelerating its adoption and that is coherent with what Mr. Soslow says: traders ought to spend money on an organization earlier than they speed up, normally 3 years earlier than… so now it’s the fitting second to begin an XR firm and get investments. BUT having my two toes within the area, I can let you know that at this actual second getting investments in XR could be very onerous, and we are going to want a while earlier than the brand new era of gadgets (e.g. Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional) will get the eye of the lots, so additionally incomes revenues is tough. So, I believe that it’s true that opening an XR startup at this time is a good suggestion, however I’ve additionally to warn you that for those who do, you’ll undergo harsh instances with little cash. However for those who handle to outlive this section, it’s possible you’ll get your share of success.
(Thanks David for the tip)
More info (Jack Soslow’s X thread about the XR market)
More info (Andrew Chen talking about a16z’s investments in XR / 1)
More info (Andrew Chen talking about a16z’s investments in XR / 2)
Meta Actuality Labs will increase its revenues, however it isn’t sufficient for the traders
Within the newest quarterly incomes name, Meta declared that its XR division Meta Actuality Labs has seen a +30% year-over-year improve in revenues in Q1 2024, and this has been largely due to Quest gross sales. Because of this Quest 3 is continuous to promote effectively even after the vacations, but additionally that Quest 2, on the low value of $199 can be performing fairly effectively. That is excellent news, however Meta’s CFO precisized that this 12 months’s revenues are nonetheless decrease than 2021’s and 2022’s ones.
However this good piece of reports was not sufficient to please the traders, and actually Meta’s worth went down 200 billion {dollars} after this occasion. The reason being that Zuckerberg candidly stated that the corporate is at the moment burning billions in AI and XR and all these investments could have large payoffs in the long term, however at the moment are simply an enormous quantity of misplaced money. Not all traders are affected person, so the worth of the corporate plummeted.
I’ve to say that I admire Zuck’s guess on future applied sciences. Everyone knows the tales of firms that didn’t perceive the brand new tendencies and had been compelled to shut in favor of a brand new modern incumbent (e.g. Blockbuster vs Netflix). He’s attempting to pivot Meta to leap on the brand new tech tendencies and this will assure long-term survival (and profitability) for Meta. He’s risking some huge cash and worsening many traders, however this transfer might have large payoffs.
More info (Meta Reality Labs increasing its revenues)
More info (Meta losing $200B in value)
Ray-Ban Meta will get Visible AI in North America
Ray-Ban Meta simply received a bunch of updates, together with a brand new mannequin with a retro-style design and first-person view sharing in WhatsApp & Messenger calls. However a very powerful characteristic is that any further, within the US and Canada, it is possible for you to to make use of visible AI along with your Ray-Ban Meta glasses. It means you may take a look at an object, ask a query about it, and Meta AI will analyze the picture of what you’re seeing and supply a contextual reply. As an illustration, you may take a look at a canine and ask what breeding it’s and get a solution to this query.
That is extremely cool as a result of contextual AI is what we have to have assistants in AR/MR and that is the primary model of it. However on the similar time, there are evident privateness issues. Let’s see what would be the suggestions of the primary customers after the characteristic has been enabled.
Information price a point out
The reactions to Meta Horizon OS information
The group reacted fairly positively to the announcement of Meta’s Horizon OS working system, and specifically to the elevated openness of the Meta ecosystem. Many individuals commented that this manner Meta returns to be a service supplier, so a software program firm, which is one thing that matches higher its tradition. However Mark Zuckerberg answered that Meta will nonetheless construct Quest headsets, and he nonetheless envisions within the quick time period Quest being probably the most promoting headset among the many Horizon OS appropriate ones. Builders are additionally pleased concerning the information, as a result of it implies that a recreation shipped for Horizon OS might be offered to extra folks, however they’ve the priority {that a} related recreation have to be examined on extra gadgets now.
The one individual not absolutely pleased appears to be John Carmack. He’s afraid that Meta should spend extra time and sources in guaranteeing the compatibility of the platform with all gadgets whereas the identical sources might have been used to develop new modern options for its VR headsets. Moreover, he thinks that among the associate headsets might have options higher than Quest, which creates some type of stress with Meta, which likes to have the very best gadget available on the market. Truthfully talking, whereas I perceive Carmack’s issues, I believe they’re negligible if Meta reaches its objective of turning into the Android of XR.
More info (HorizonOS news)
More info (Zuck confirming Meta’s commitment on Quest)
More info (Quest developers comment on the news)
More info (John Carmack comments on the news)
Meta’s OpenEQA might be one of many foundations of AR assistants
Meta has simply launched OpenEQA, the Open-Vocabulary Embodied Query Answering Benchmark. It measures an AI agent’s understanding of bodily environments by probing it with open vocabulary questions like “The place did I depart my badge?”. Because of it, you may ask your AR assistant or robotic assistant a query about your own home (e.g. the place you left a factor, or if the fridge is open) and he’ll have the ability to reply that, or to test that data through cameras put in in your house. I believe that is fairly cool and might be very helpful, too.
MPEG requirements round volumetric movies are being constructed
Nokia and different firms are delivering new MPEG requirements particularly devoted to volumetric movies. Having requirements is essential to make sure that you may file a volumetric video with a instrument and play it again with a participant of one other firm.
HaptX is researching VR for the imaginative and prescient impaired
HaptX, the corporate making extremely technological VR gloves, is engaged on a really attention-grabbing analysis undertaking focusing on imaginative and prescient impaired folks. Outdated Dominion College (ODU), HaptX, and Georgia Institute of Expertise intention to research “Glove-based Tactile Streaming of Braille Characters and Digital Photos for the Visually Impaired.” The crew needs to remodel the methods during which visually impaired people discover and navigate digital environments. Sporting HaptX Gloves, customers will expertise exact tactile interplay with streaming digital photographs and objects. The objective is to create a “tangible actuality” that’s accessible to folks whose imaginative and prescient just isn’t good.
Survios’s Alien recreation is just for Quest 3
Survios has lastly unveiled some particulars concerning the Alien recreation it has been engaged on. Alien: Rogue Incursion is described as a “single-player, action-horror VR recreation,” with an “all-new storyline stuffed with heart-pounding motion, exploration, and terrifying Xenomorphs.”. The teaser trailer that has been launched is fairly cool and there we will see that the launch interval is vacation 2024. However even most curiously, the sport might be appropriate solely with Quest 3 and never with Quest 2. It’s most likely the primary massive recreation that takes this determination.
Some information about content material
- Homeworld: Huge Reaches is ready to launch on Quest 2 and Quest 3 on Might 2nd, 2024
- Zombie Military VR is slated to launch someday this 12 months on PSVR 2, Quest 2/3/Professional, Oculus Rift, and PC VR headsets through Steam. Now you can take pleasure in a brand new trailer about it
- Laser Limbo is a combined actuality recreation on Quest App Lab that permits you to play laser tag-style video games in your house, both in single or multiplayer
- Brazen Blaze, a melee-focused 3v3 VR multiplayer recreation, begins a brand new open beta on Quest & Steam. Moreover, it has been introduced that Netvios will handle the distribution of the sport in China
- Contractors Showdown, a VR battle royale shooter that helps 60-player matches, is on the market now on the Meta Quest platform and Steam for $19.99
- Subside is a VR expertise for PCVR that permits you to go underwater and options spectacular graphics
- MudRunner VR adapts the off-roading car sim MudRunner for digital actuality, and it’s “coming quickly” to Quest
- DIG VR is a simulator recreation for digging, and it’s coming to Quest quickly
- CONVRGENCE is a post-apocalyptic VR survival shooter simply launched on Steam Early Entry
- Episode 2 of Prehistoric Planet Immersive is out now on Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional and it options triceratops
- OhShape Final makes its PlayStation VR 2 debut at $19.99
More info (Homeworld: Vast Reaches)
More info (Zombie Army VR)
More info (Laser Limbo)
More info (Brazen Blaze)
More info (Contractors: Showdown)
More info (Subside)
More info (MudRunner VR)
More info (DIG VR)
More info (CONVRGENCE)
More info (Prehistoric Planet)
More info (OhShape)
Some critiques of content material
- Add outlined the storytelling expertise Astra as an “fulfilling journey throughout the celebrities”
- Add tried the demo of Chilly VR and located it a reasonably cool recreation, that is similar with Superhot, however requires a very totally different method of enjoying it
More info (Astra)
More info (Cold VR)
Different information
The primary Imaginative and prescient Dev Camp occurred. I’ve by no means seen an image with so many Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional gadgets in it!
Marques Brownlee went hands-on with the Disney Holotile
AWE began the XR Corridor Of Fame to have fun the pioneers of augmented and digital actuality
The poetry digicam doesn’t offer you images however sonnets concerning the issues you’re picturing
Apple launched OpenELM, small opensource AI fashions designed to run on the gadget
Information from companions (and mates)
Be a part of XRCC
Be a part of us for certainly one of Europe’s largest XR hackathons, the place you may join with high professionals, showcase your initiatives, be taught from trade leaders, and have a good time! And most significantly, additionally meet me :). Tickets are on sale now, and solely 150 can be found… first come, first served!
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Learn the XR Developer Information e-newsletter
Pieter Siekerman curates an attention-grabbing e-newsletter of reports and updates all targeted about XR growth. In case you are a dev like me, it’s best to give it a glance!
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No promotional messages at this time. Simply drink one thing and cheer for me to have fun my 10 years within the area. Take pleasure in life!
Very important link
Some XR enjoyable
Even Apple has began trolling Brad and all the opposite folks inhaling copium for the Valve Deckard
Funny link
You weren’t anticipating at this time to open your browser and see an XR gadget meant to simulate you gulping a fish, had been you?
Funny link
Damo9000 mocking Apple at his most interesting
Funny link
The most effective reply I’ve discovered to the assertion “VR is lifeless”
Funny link
Donate for good
Like final week, additionally this week on this remaining paragraph I gained’t ask you to donate to my weblog, however to the poor people who find themselves going through the implications of the warfare. Please donate to the Pink Cross to deal with the present humanitarian state of affairs in Ukraine. I’ll depart you the hyperlink to do this under.
Let me take a second earlier than to thank anyway all my Patreon donors for the assist they provide to me:
- Alex Gonzalez VR
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And now right here you’re the hyperlink to donate:
Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header picture by Apple)
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