Results for: Augmented Reality

Frank Casanova, who has been with Apple for 36 years and made significant contributions to the company’s success, including expanding the iPhone’s carrier network and shaping how consumers interact with Apple’s products, has announced his departure. Casanova played a crucial role in Apple’s marketing efforts since joining the company in the late 1980s, and his leadership in the development and launch of the Apple Vision Pro, Apple’s first augmented reality product, is a testament to his adaptability and foresight in embracing new technological frontiers. His retirement marks a new chapter for Apple as it navigates the post-launch phase of its most significant new product category in years, and the industry eagerly awaits what will come next from the company.

Trace, a location-based branded augmented reality startup, has secured $2 million in pre-seed funding led by Rev1 Ventures and Impellent Ventures. Founded by former Magic Leap executives, Trace aims to simplify the process of creating AR content, targeting enterprise clients with its subscription-based offering.

Apple’s highly anticipated Vision Pro headset has failed to live up to expectations, with sales falling short and the company slashing its 2024 sales targets by nearly half. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo attributes the decline to a lack of demand in non-US markets and reduced shipments of 400,000-450,000 units, significantly lower than the market consensus of 700,000-800,000 units. Kuo further predicts a decline in headset shipments in 2025. Despite the initial hype, consumers are finding the $3,500 headset to be imperfect, uncomfortable, and lacking in essential applications. Apple is said to be reviewing its product roadmap and may not release a new version until after 2025.

Apple has significantly reduced its Vision Pro shipment estimates, with analyst Ming-Chi Kuo attributing the decline to a sharp drop in demand within the United States. Consequently, Apple has reassessed its headset business strategy and may delay the release of a second-generation Vision Pro in 2025.

Unveiled in 2023, the Apple Vision Pro is the company’s highly anticipated mixed-reality headset that combines augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Priced at a premium $3,499, the Vision Pro boasts advanced features such as eye and hand tracking, an external battery pack, and a powerful R1 chip that minimizes lag. Its unique design, which resembles ski goggles, features an external screen that displays your eyes to others, making social interactions more natural. The Vision Pro runs on a specialized VisionOS operating system, tailored for spatial computing and providing access to popular Apple apps and services. Boasting immersive video playback, users can enjoy 3D movies and stream content from various platforms. It also functions as a 4K external monitor, mirroring a Mac’s display for enhanced productivity. FaceTime on the Vision Pro allows for videoconferencing with life-sized tiles and spatial audio, while hand tracking enables users to navigate and control the device with intuitive gestures. The headset is available in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB storage options, and comes with a Dual Loop Band, battery pack, and various accessories.

Meta has enhanced its smart glasses with the ability to describe what you’re seeing using its built-in camera. By simply asking the glasses’ AI, you can obtain information about the surrounding environment. The feature, called “multimodal,” allows the AI to interpret both voice commands and visual input. It can translate foreign languages, identify objects, and provide information about landmarks. The update is currently in beta testing and available to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses users in the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, the glasses now enable video call participants to share their perspective, allowing for real-time assistance and advice.

Meta has unveiled the second generation of its smart sunglasses, in partnership with Ray-Ban, featuring new styles, improved usability, and enhanced integration with various apps and services. The new Meta smart sunglasses offer real-time video sharing capabilities, hands-free operation with voice commands, and augmented reality functionality.

The Cannes Film Festival has announced a lineup of cutting-edge augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) works for its inaugural ‘Immersive’ section, highlighting the latest advancements in immersive storytelling and narrative-driven experiences. The 14 selected projects, including 8 in competition and 6 out-of-competition screenings, showcase the work of renowned talents such as Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, Millie Bobby Brown, and Tahar Rahim.

Meta is opening up its Meta Quest operating system, now known as Meta Horizon OS, to third-party hardware partners and broadening software distribution options. The company aims to position itself as a more accessible alternative to Apple’s Vision Pro headset and create an open ecosystem in the augmented reality space.

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced the upcoming expansion of Meta Horizon OS, its virtual and augmented reality operating system. Meta Horizon OS will be made available to third-party hardware manufacturers that want to design their own VR and AR headsets, similar to how Microsoft offers Windows for PCs. The operating system supports eye, face, hand, and body tracking, passthrough, spatial anchors, and scene understanding. It also includes a “social layer” that allows users’ identities, avatars, and friends to move between virtual spaces on different devices.