News stories from across the internet rocked the extended reality (XR) community last week, with several major developments sparking interest among VR fans worldwide.
Facebook, ByteDance, Pico Interactive, and DPVR were some of the top companies featured in the news, where they released new products and announced major updates to their activities.
The UK’s Mat Collishaw is also expected to impress at one of Italy’s most prestigious film festivals, where he will debut an XR masterpiece to audiences at the event.
In case you missed it, here are the top stories from last week. Be sure to also stay posted with our newsletter by visiting https://www.xrtoday.com/sign-up/ for further updates!
FCC Manual ‘Sheds Light’ on Facebook’s Project Aria
News on Facebook’s upcoming smart glasses project, Project Aria, was revealed after the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) uploaded a manual of the prototypical head-mounted device.
The revelation made headlines across tech media after the manual unveiled the device’s numerous features, including front-facing cameras, lack of augamented reality (AR) components, button arrangements, and multiple camera and proximity sensors, among other options.
China’s ByteDance, Pico Enters Acquisition Talks
TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd reportedly entered talks with Chinese VR headset maker Pico Interactive on Thursday, Bloomberg reported at the time, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The talks could rival the Facebook-Oculus acquisition in 2018, which saw massive revenues for the US social media giant and a debut into the VR hardware and software space.
Negotiations have not been finalised, but if successful, ByteDance and Pico could create a powerful merger aimed at building China’s XR presence in global markets.
DPVR Launches P1 Ultra 4K, Pro Light VR Headsets
Shanghai’s VR manufacturer DPVR announced it had launched two new headsets, the P1 Ultra 4K and P1 Pro Light, which would target enterprise-level users.
The P1 Ultra 4K and P1 Pro Light will feature Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, high-resolution displays, and a mid-range price tag of $599 USD and $399 USD, respectively.
An innovative feature of the devices is their internal modular designs, providing customers with several impressive customisation options for companies in healthcare, training, and others.
TikTok’s Effect Studio to Build New AR Platform
TikTok reentered headlines after it announced it was testing beta developer tools to facilitate AR-powered content creation, TechCrunch first reported last week.
TikTok developers began building the company’s Effect Studio as an “experiment” to create new AR tools, but noted it may never release a full verion of the platform.
A TikTok spokesperson told TechCrunch at the time the Beijing-based firm was “always thinking about new ways to bring value” to the popular video sharing platform and aimed to “enrich” user experiences.
The spokesperson added: “Currently, we’re experimenting with ways to give creators additional tools to bring their creative ideas to life for the TikTok community.”
Mat Collishaw Debuts XR Art at Venice Int’l Film Festival
UK artist Mat Collishaw plans to showcase his BEDLAM immersive experience at the 78th Venice International Film Festival in September in a bid to curate a world-first venture into the Metaverse.
The Nottingham-born artist recreated a 17th-century experience at London’s Bedlam Hospital, where attendees can interact with the Metaverse-inspired artwork with 5G-enabled mobiles and VR headsets.
According to Collishaw, the exhibit was an “attempt to reflect on the human condition, our relationship with technology, our perception of reality and the appetite for spectacle.”
Facebook’s Oculus to Roll Out v32 Update
Facebook announced further updates to the Oculus lineup of VR headsets aimed at improving fitness tracking and file sharing for devices.
Quest v32 would improve features for Oculus Move, allowing users to share fitness stats on Facebook, Messenger, or groups, and capture screenshots and recordings to mobiles, the company said.
VR fans hailed the news as an alternative to the platform’s SideQuest tool, which would typically transfer videos, screenshots, and messages to PCs, advancing the Quest 2 as a fully untethered product.
