Hewlett-Packard (HP), a leading US technology firm, announced last week it had created a new Software-as-a-Service product to allow businesses to deploy and manage their VR solutions at scale.
Announced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2022 in Barcelona, HP’s new service was created along with virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) device management firm ArborXR and aims to allow companies to set up and remotely manage VR device fleets on its ExtendXR management platform.
HP’s partnership will also allow companies to scale their XR device deployments using HP’s Horizon cloud infrastructure for maximum security and ease of use.
This new SaaS solution from our collaborator @HP is a great way to scale #XR in the enterprise! https://t.co/K6NeJuKJid
— Hugo Swart (@HugoSwart_QCOM) March 3, 2022
According to the Palo Alto, California-based enterprise, commercial and training applications for VR had reached “a tipping point,” leading to a need to build the deployment solution as customers faced difficulties setting up “hundreds to thousands of VR [all-in-one] devices.”
It added further difficulties with updating software, operating systems, and device firmware demanded “a complete end-to-end way of managing VR” for medium to large organisations.
The firm listed several capabilities for the new platform, which included:
- Streamlined device setup and grouping for deployments
- Simple and streamlined browser console for VR application deployment and headset management across mobiles, PCs, tablets, and other devices for “anytime, anywhere” use
- Support for Kiosk Mode and the platform’s Home bespoke application launcher
- Support for integrators, content developers, and other partners working with organisations
Comments on HP Collaboration
Daniel O’Brien, General Manager for HTC Americas, said that his company’s strong portfolio of solutions was “key to fueling advancements in the XR landscape.”
He added his company was “excited” to support HP with his company’s HTC VIVE Focus 3 headsets to “achieve an easy way to scale VR deployments in a secure and efficient way.”
Brad Scoggin, Chief Executive for ArborXR said,
“We are excited to power HP’s new XR platform. By working together, ArborXR and HP trailblaze the enterprise AR/VR industry and make it easy for companies to scale XR deployments”
He added his company was also pleased to back the HP ExtendXR partnership along with HTC and Pico Interactive, who provided their standalone VR devices using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR Platforms.
Pico Interactive’s General Manager of EMEA, Leland Hedges, added that VR technologies in the enterprise sector would allow HP Extend VR to build a “significant step forward” to help businesses scale their XR employments.
Qualcomm Technologies’ Senior Director of XR Business Development, Patrick Costello, concluded the new solution would become a “critical device management platform,” adding,
“Qualcomm Technologies and HP have a longstanding relationship and with Snapdragon XR platforms powering 50+ XR devices including HTC and Pico, we look forward to helping HP support and enable our mutual enterprise ecosystem partners at scale”
The news comes amid several key innovations HP designed for the printing industry, namely after launching an XR printing solution, Print OSx, for the Microsoft HoloLens 2 in November last year.
The collaboration would allow remote HP engineers to troubleshoot industrial printing devices in real-time to slash downtimes for the devices, effectively boosting productivity and support amid COVID-19.
HP also inked a further partnership Manchester-based ultraviolet (UV) light sanitation firm Uvisan to disinfect XR headset devices, quickly and efficiently, for businesses amid the ongoing pandemic.
