As the holiday season approaches, marketplace leaders seek to lead the immersive space race. Meta will again try to place Meta Quest devices in the hands of consumers, as other firms are looking to follow.
Concerning enterprise, this move may continue introducing XR hardware and software into the workplace as business leaders ask how AR/VR/MR services can assist in entering the workplace today.
AS 2025 approaches, the sector is looking to shift. Stay up to date to learn which firms are leading the enterprise revolution.
Vision Pro Lead Leaves Apple
Apple is losing a key figure behind its Vision Pro development team. Dan Riccio, Apple’s now former Hardware Engineering Chief, is retiring after spearheading the development and release of the Apple Vision Pro.
This marked Apple’s entry into the XR market earlier this year. The device received significant attention upon its release, but its high price tag and slow adoption raised questions about its long-term success.
Despite being in the early stages of its lifespan, the future looks promising for Apple and its MR product as they head into the new year. Apple has not yet commented on how Riccio’s retirement will impact the company and the Apple Vision Pro product roadmap.
However, given Riccio’s amicable departure, Apple is likely well-prepared to transition oversight of the Vision Pro development to new team leads. Mike Rockwell, who worked alongside Riccio on the Vision Pro, is poised to take the device to new heights.
XREAL AR Smart Glasses to Tackle Holiday Period
XREAL has announced that it is continuing its global expansion of AR smart glasses, which began in China and has extended to Western markets for several years. The company has recently secured new retail deals for its AR smart glasses in global markets, including Europe, Asia, and the US.
To further expand in European markets, particularly in luxury department stores, XREAL is extending its partnership with its current collaborator, Smartech Retail Group, to increase the availability of its AR smart glasses in-store.
As part of the partnership with Smartech Retail Group, XREAL will increase its presence in London, UK, from one store to five and introduce in-store availability in Paris, Berlin, and Rome. Additionally, the collaboration will help XREAL expand its presence in US regions, particularly in New York City, leading into 2025.
Jon Li, General Manager of the US, XREAL added:
XREAL products amaze people the moment they put them on. This significant retail expansion in the US, Europe, and Asia makes it easier than ever for new customers to experience the XREAL magic. We are appreciative of our retail partners for sharing in our vision to bring AR to everyone and their role in making that a new reality. We can’t wait for you to find your nearest XREAL retail partner and experience the magic for yourself.
Meta Speaks on the Future of AR Smart Glasses
Meta’s CTO, Andrew Bosworth, recently appeared on Adam Savage’s Tested show to discuss some new details about the Orion prototype, its role in the Meta ecosystem, and current XR trends. Bosworth emphasized the importance of creating a fully functional Orion prototype, a goal that the company seems to have achieved.
He mentioned that the Orion device has an operating system and can connect to the internet, indicating that Meta and Reality Labs have a device ready for developing specialized system-shifting software.
Additionally, Bosworth stated that the device provides insight into the type of software experiences ideal for what Meta believes will eventually replace the smartphone. According to the CTO, Meta is currently working on integrating the product. Bosworth had firsthand experience with various versions of Orion before Zuckerberg unveiled it at Connect 2024.
The CTO added:
It was very responsive, you’re looking at videos and you’re doing video calls, and it’s spectacular. It’s just spectacular. It’s a sense of real wonder. – It’s now gotten to this point where it’s a fully functioning system. You can walk around. It’s got 2-hour battery life. You can spend time in meetings. You’re able to have a really rich computer available to you without taking anything out of your pocket, without losing the context of where you are in the world, without breaking eye contact with someone that you’re talking to. It’s spectacular.
Beyond Reality AR Join NVIDIA Inception Program
Beyond Reality, AR has been accepted into the prestigious virtual accelerator program NVIDIA Inception, which supports all stages of a startup’s life cycle.
The company, a designer of augmented reality solutions, creates tools to improve operational efficiency in logistics and industrial settings. Its mission is to seamlessly integrate its AR technology, revolutionizing company workflows and real-time interactions with data.
Pol Leyva, CEO of Beyond Reality AR, commented on this program’s value to his company: “Being part of NVIDIA Inception represents a unique opportunity for our startup to scale up and innovate faster.
Leyva:
With NVIDIA’s support, we are eager to continue pushing the boundaries of augmented reality within logistics, ultimately transforming the way businesses operate.