That is a wrap for November 2024. It was another busy month in the XR market. As the end of the year approaches, the AR/VR/MR space never sleeps. Last week saw a number of developments from major XR hardware providers and upcoming participants in the market, waiting to enter the immersive wearable market.
Moreover, December will soon come along, as will the year’s final events, such as AWS re:Invent, giving XR vendors one more time to shine in 2024.
2025 is just around the corner, meaning that news headlines will quickly fill with CES announcements. If 2024 was any example, some major news is around the corner.
New Samsung Headset Details Revealed
Patentlyapple has revealed a new patent application from Samsung, which highlights the company’s ongoing development of an upcoming XR headset for the Galaxy ecosystem. While many details remain confidential, this information strongly suggests that Samsung is getting closer to fully unveiling its new XR device.
It’s important to note that patent filings do not necessarily indicate the final product, but they can offer valuable insights into the future direction of the XR headset. The headset’s design appears to follow industry standards, featuring a headband similar to that of the Vision Pro, with a fastening device located at the back of the head.
According to the patent filing, the headset will incorporate AI and haptic integration. As technology evolves, we can expect AI to play a significant role in future headsets; however, implementing haptic features and their effects will be particularly interesting to observe.
Additionally, reports suggest that Samsung aims to debut the headset in 2025, as an outlook header indicates. However, it is worth noting that Samsung previously made a similar promise for 2024.
At Unpacked 2024, TM Roh, the President of Samsung’s Mobile Division, and Google’s Senior Vice President of Platforms and Devices, Rick Osterloh, said the XR device is under rigorous development and aims for a late 2024 release.
Roh added:
Looking forward, we’re collaborating to bring next-generation experiences across Galaxy products from smartphones and wearables to even future technologies like the upcoming XR platform we’ve been working closely to develop in partnership with Samsung and Qualcomm.
Roh also confirmed that the device is coming “later this year,” a conflicting report from Roh, however, as earlier reports from MWC suggested a 2025 launch and this is only confirmed by the patentlyapple November findings.
The device can potentially target consumers but can also be utilized in enterprise environments, mainly through its divisions like Samsung Heavy Industries. This strategy places the company in a solid position to promote the adoption of XR devices among clients already reliant on Samsung’s workplace solutions.
In early 2024, Inkang Song, the Vice President and Head of Samsung Electronics’ Technology Strategy Team, also explained that Samsung, Google, and Qualcomm collaborate to create high-quality XR experiences for Galaxy users.
Samsung is thrilled to collaborate with Qualcomm Technologies and Google in revolutionizing the mobile industry once more. With Samsung’s mobile expertise and our joint commitment, we aim to create the best-in-class XR experience for Galaxy users.
AWS, Proto to Debut Hologram Avatar
At AWS re:Invent 2024, long-time Amazon Web Services partner Proto will unveil the next evolution of its AI-powered immersive hologram technology. The event, from December 2 to December 6, will allow attendees to experience the latest innovations that have emerged from a successful year for Proto’s hologram technology.
During the AWS event, Proto will showcase a hologram experience that allows visitors to observe a generative conversation between two immersive avatars displayed in 3D. This display, powered by AWS AI, generates conversations in real-time without relying on pre-scripted lines.
Proto has described this debut as a “milestone” in human-AI interaction. The project will be featured in re:Invent’s main expo hall, where visitors can interact with immersive holograms of Dr. Swami Sivasubramanian, Vice President of AI and Data, and Nandini Ramani, Vice President of Monitoring and Observability.
The real-time AI-powered conversation allows the two avatars to have original dynamic conversations, therefore creating an original narrative between the characters. “This activation represents more than just a technological demonstration—it’s a glimpse into the future of human-AI interaction,” added Raffi Kryszek, Proto’s Chief Product and AI Officer.
Kryszek also said:
By combining Proto’s groundbreaking holographic technology with AWS’s advanced AI capabilities, we’re showcasing how multiple AI agents can collaborate autonomously while maintaining natural, engaging dialogue.
The Proto solution provides multilingual capabilities that support international scalability, dynamic personality adaptation, natural language processing, and voice synthesis. By partnering with AWS, Proto can leverage the company’s extensive technology portfolio and global reach. This collaboration enables Proto to utilize features from Amazon Bedrock, including Anthropic’s Claude, which facilitates dynamic conversations.
In addition to AWS services like SageMaker, Rekognition, and Translate, Proto is integrating the Amazon Titan Image Generator and Luma AI. Proto is also using HeyGen technology to create real-time facial expressions for avatars, as well as Eleven Labs’ voice synthesis technology to enhance its offerings.
Following its upcoming showcase at re:Invent 2024, Proto emphasizes that its avatar technology can be applied across various sectors, including education, healthcare, retail, and corporate training.
Edward Ginis, Proto’s Chief Technology Officer, explained:
The future of human-AI interaction will be increasingly collaborative and multimodal. Our presentation at re:Invent shows how we can create experiences that are not just technologically advanced, but genuinely engaging and personally meaningful.
The AI features enable Proto to enhance its innovation for early enterprise adopters by providing personalized integrations that are ready for diverse deployments.
Pimax Introduces ‘World’s First’ Retina-Level VR Headset
Pimax has released a series of updates and product announcements at its Pimax Sync keynote. As well as the releasing details of the final specs and exterior design relating to the Crystal Super. Martin Lammi, European Marketing Director of Pimax Technology, VR enthusiast & VR YouTuber, explained during the keynote why the Crystal Super has been the company’s best-seller yet:
The crystal light: the more affordable and trimmed down version of the crystal is the best-selling Pimax VR headset so far. Why? Because it has 17 million pixels with a refresh rate of 120HZ even at native resolution. It has glass aspheric lenses and a Display Port Cable so that the visuals from the PC get delivered without visual compression. It is a favourite among titles such as simulator games or for anyone who values the highest clarity of consumer VR. It has a good field of view, details look incredible, the colours are bright and the headset is lightweight and comfortable.
The Crystal Super has become Pimax’s latest flagship VR headset, boasting a groundbreaking retina-level resolution of 57 PPD. Key features of the Crystal Super include QLED panels with a resolution of 3840 x 3840 pixels per eye, a 120-degree horizontal field of view, and glass aspheric lenses that offer 99 percent light transmission with a brightness of 280 nits. The headset utilizes Local Dimming 2.0 and has 100 local dimming zones per eye, allowing for contrast and blacks that approach micro-OLED quality.
Additionally, the Crystal Super includes eye-tracking and inside-out tracking capabilities, with controllers provided as part of the package. Pimax Play also introduces several advanced features, such as Dynamic Foveated Rendering and Upscaling. Users can also choose from interchangeable optical engines, including Micro-OLED and 50 PPD QLED options. The headset’s exterior has been reduced in size by nearly 30 percent, designed for enhanced comfort during long gaming sessions.
Thanks to Crystal Super’s high pixel density, anti-aliasing can be minimized, freeing up crucial system resources while still delivering high-quality images. Furthermore, the device offers professional-level PCVR performance, resulting in a brighter display, improved field of view, and better ergonomics for user comfort.
The Crystal Super is currently priced at $1605, which includes a base price of $999 and a one-time payment of $696. Shipments are scheduled to begin in Q1 2025, and pre-orders for both the Micro-OLED and 50 PPD QLED versions will be available then.
Pimax also introduced Pimax Prime, a new membership program to make VR more accessible. Pimax Prime includes flexible payment options, additional services, and exclusive hardware and software features. These include early access to new software, invitations to member-only events, priority technical support, and flexible return policies.
With a Pimax Prime membership, customers can purchase the Pimax Crystal Light at a discounted price of $599, including a $300 savings, or opt for a 24-month payment plan.
Lammi also added:
Digital Trends gave it nine out of ten with an editor’s choice award. It was used at the official media event for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and Optimum said it’s his favourite VR headset for simracing. It has been added to the crystal family with the aim of making high-end VR accessible to everyone. Throughout this year we’ve been steadily improving stability and quality control. It is really in a superb place right now.
Varjo Launches NVIDIA-Powered Digital Twin Content Creation Solution
Varjo has announced the general availability of Teleport, a spatial capture software designed to transform objects, spaces, and people into 3D digital twins for various applications, including design procedures, remote inspections, construction workflows, and training.
This project aims to enhance and optimize photogrammetry workflows, enabling companies to digitize real-world work assets more effectively. Following a closed beta period that involved approximately 2,000 professional and enterprise collaborators, Varjo is now offering Teleport to professional and individual users for $29.99 per month.
Teleport simplifies the process of capturing spaces, allowing users to share and explore these environments using an XR headset. Users can move freely within a captured virtual reality setting. The service, available on smartphones, enables users to create digital twins of large-scale objects without the need for expensive additional equipment. Varjo emphasizes that Teleport can accurately recreate various aspects of the environment, including lighting, shading, textures, details, and reflections.
After scanning an area, users can upload their assets to Varjo’s cloud storage. Following the upload, Varjo provides machine-learning tools to assist with further processing and editing. Additionally, users can share their captures through a private link, allowing colleagues to review the digital twin created with Teleport.
Patrick Wyatt, Chief Product Officer at Varjo, added:
Today, we are proud to release Teleport, the most visually impressive 3D scanning solution publicly available, and the only one able to bring digital twins directly into virtual reality. This service will change the way professionals work, making it easier than ever to capture, share, and analyze real-world places.
Varjo is using NVIDIA GPU-powered generative models to enhance its digital twin content creation solution. To create a digital twin, a user must take a series of photos of an object from various angles using a smartphone. This content can then be accessed and edited by a team on a PC or through a VR headset.
In June, Varjo launched its Teleport solution as an exclusive application for Apple smartphones. This development aligns with Varjo’s goal of establishing itself as a spatial data company and its goals in the headset market. During the NVIDIA GTC event, Ben Cathcart, Head of Product Marketing at Varjo, provided insights into this initiative.
Spatial computing is something that can be used by all departments that are not necessarily so technical-minded. We are making spatial computing open to more enterprise roles than ever before. As people start to realise the productivity gains you can get using XR technology, sustainability gains, and cost savings, all these benefits are combined into one to make a path for XR to expand into the enterprise.
PICO Integrates OpenXR 1.1
PICO has announced support for OpenXR 1.1, which Khronos Groups believes can reduce fragmentation and simplify advanced XR application development. Khronos Group is a non-profit consortium powering royalty-free interoperability for VR, AR, ML, 3D graphics, and other technologies.
Khronos Group quoted Ron Bessems, OpenXR Working Group Chair and Software Engineer at Meta, who shared his perspective on the importance of OpenXR:
The OpenXR specification is a crucial part of the Mixed Reality ecosystem. Where previously application developers had to develop for each XR headset separately using proprietary APIs, they now have the freedom to develop for many different devices at once. With OpenXR, applications can be quickly retargeted to new platforms, or even run on new platforms unmodified. This lowers the cost of entry and unlocks the door to bringing in the new developers and ideas that will help make Mixed Reality a common part of our lives
Open XR 1.1 has already been available on PICO 4 Ultra with OS 5.12.0. The immersive virtual reality provider plans to integrate it with the PICO 4 and Neo 3 by June 2025. PICO introduced the news in a recent press release:
PICO says the move highlights a commitment to advancing industry standards and delivering seamless interoperability for developers and users. Moreover, the firm stated that OpenXR 1.1 would soon be optimised via collaboration with industry leaders, providing PICO with crucial insights, thanks to its collaborators actively participating in future development processes.
PICO has shared valuable insights regarding the potential applications of OpenXR and provided some helpful resources. By implementing OpenXR, developers can utilize the latest features available in OpenXR version 1.1. To access the OpenXR 1.1 specification, visit the Khronos website or check the OpenXR Registry on GitHub.
Additionally, PICO directs users to an official OpenXR Tutorial, a step-by-step guide available on YouTube that demonstrates how to create an XR app using the OpenXR SDK and deploy it on an XR headset. You can find PICO’s OpenXR SDK in the download section of their developer website.
For more information and to engage with the community, PICO encourages you to visit their Twitter page or join their Discord developer community.
