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☆ Microsoft lost billions of dollars on HoloLens, and its huge IVAS military contract is in trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-14 | by ( Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The company's 10-year IVAS contract to make goggles for the Army is worth up to $22 billion. HoloLens historyMicrosoft's HoloLens device was unveiled in 2015. While the 10-year IVAS contract was expected to be worth as much as $22 billion, it suffered delays and has been plagued by quality and performance problems . AdvertisementIn September, Microsoft tapped Anduril to help with its military contract. Palmer Luckey, a virtual-reality pioneer who founded Anduril, recently described the IVAS contract as his "top priority."

Persons: —, That's, that's, It's, HoloLens, Alex Kipman, Kipman, Panos Panay, Palmer Luckey, Ashley Stewart Organizations: Microsoft, Service, US Army, US Department of Defense, Department of Defense, Google, BI, Amazon, Meta, Apple, Labs, Bloomberg, Breaking Defense Locations: IVAS

☆ Google backs a startup that aims to bring mixed reality to any car windshield or plane cockpit
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Distance TechnologiesDistance Technologies, a Finnish startup that aims to bring mixed-reality technology to any car windshield or plane cockpit, has raised 10 million euros ($11.1 million) of funding from GV, the venture capital arm of Alphabet and other investors. Distance raised the cash injection in a seed round led by GV, with existing investors FOV Ventures and Maki.vc also stumping up more cash for the startup, the company told CNBC on Thursday. Konttori was formerly chief technology officer of Varjo, another Helsinki-based mixed-reality firm. "The main difference here is that we are driven by the software," Mäkinen told CNBC. For now, Distance has had to use simple optics and normal LCD displays to demonstrate its technology to prospective partners and investors.

Persons: Maki.vc, Konttori, Roni Hiranand, Meta, Jussi Mäkinen, Mäkinen, he's Organizations: Technologies, GV, FOV Ventures, CNBC, Helsinki, Google Ventures, Companies, Huawei, Bosch, Continental, Panasonic, Distance Technologies Locations: Finnish, Helsinki, China

☆ Microsoft product chief Panos Panay is leaving the company
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Panos Panay, Microsoft's chief product officer, talks about Windows 11 at the Windows 11 launch event that was streamed live on June 24, 2021. Microsoft's product chief, Panos Panay, will leave the software and hardware maker, executive vice president Rajesh Jha told employees on Monday. The shakeup represents a changing of the guard after more than a decade of sales of Microsoft's Surface PCs, which Panay has presented to consumers at company events. Team,After nearly 20 years at the company, Panos Panay has decided to leave Microsoft. Best,RajeshWATCH: The Microsoft Surface Go is a good computer, but a very bad tablet

Persons: Panos Panay, Panos, Rajesh Jha, Yusuf Mehdi, Satya Nadella, Mehdi, Charles Simonyi, Jha, I've, I'm, Pavan Davuluri, Brett Ostrum, Nino Storniolo, Linda Averett, Ken Pan, Ralf Groene, Aidan Marcuss, Carlos Picoto, Stevie Bathiche, Robin Seiler, Ruben Caballero, Anuj, Shilpa Ranganathan, Jeff Johnson, Ali Akgun, Mikhail Parakhin, Terri Chudzik, Erin Kolb, Mike Davidson, Let's, Rajesh Organizations: Windows, Microsoft Locations: Panos Panay, Panay, New York

☆ Why Apple's VR headset could succeed where every similar product has failed
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

On Monday, Apple is expected to announce its first new major product line since the Apple Watch in 2014. During Apple's software-focused developer conference, WWDC, it could release its first mixed-reality headset, according to analyst research, media reports and increasingly, vague references from Apple itself. The headset, according to reports, will feature high-definition screens in front of the user's eyes. But since then, sales for existing VR headsets haven't been great, usage has been worse and the anticipated explosion in successful VR software companies hasn't happened. Apple's headset is expected to be more powerful than what's out there — even current $6,500 VR headsets.

Persons: what's, Apple, Wamsi Mohan, Microsoft's Hololens, Ming, Chi Kuo, Cowen, Krish Sankar, Peggy Johnson, it's Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, Bank of America, Facebook, Meta, VR, U.S . Army, TFI Securities, CNBC

☆ Ex-Apple marketing executive says the company's upcoming 'Reality' headset risks being 'one of the great tech flops of all time'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Britney Nguyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Michael Gartenberg told Insider if rumors and leaks are correct, it "would be a very un-Apple product." Michael Gartenberg, a former marketing exec at Apple, told Bloomberg the headset may be "one of the great tech flops of all time." "I suspect there's a lot of internal pressure for the next big thing," Gartenberg told the news publication. Gartenberg told Insider that if the rumors and leaks around the headset "are correct," it "would be a very un-Apple product." Gartenberg previously wrote about his thoughts on Apple's new headset, saying he doesn't believe it's Apple's "next big thing."

☆ Prototypes for Apple's upcoming mixed-reality headset feature in-air typing tech that uses hand and eye movements, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Apple's mixed-reality headset is expected to start shipping late 2023 priced around $3,000, per Bloomberg. Prototypes of the Reality Pro feature "in-air" typing based on hand and eye movements, Bloomberg said. The launch of the Reality Pro would mark Apple's first big step into metaverse technology. Both The Information and Bloomberg have reported that Apple's Reality Pro will retail at around $3,000 upon launch, which is expected later in 2023. In August 2022, companies tied to Apple filed trademarks for devices named "Reality One," "Reality Pro," and "Reality Processor."

☆ Chinese tech giant Xiaomi debuts prototype augmented reality glasses joining Microsoft and Google
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Xiaomi took the wraps off its Xiaomi AR Glass Discovery Edition at Mobile World Congress 2023. The concept glasses work on augmented reality technology. BARCELONA, Spain — Xiaomi on Monday took the wraps off a pair of prototype augmented reality glasses as the Chinese technology giant looks to sell more products beyond smartphones. Augmented reality refers to digital media that can be superimposed over the real world that a person sees in front of them. Apple hasn't officially acknowledged or launched any kind of virtual or augmented reality headset.

☆ Magic Leap CEO says Apple becoming a rival in augmented reality would actually be a good thing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Britney Nguyen | Cadie Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Magic Leap's CEO said more money coming into the augmented reality space from competitors is "good." Apple is rumored to be readying its own headset, which would compete against Magic Leap and Microsoft. Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch its own headset this year, which would compete against other offerings from Magic Leap and Microsoft. Under Johnson, Magic Leap has pivoted toward building its Magic Leap 2 AR headset for enterprise use rather marketing it at consumers. Johnson pointed out that Apple is more consumer-focused, while Magic Leap is enterprise-focused, but said at some point, "we'll come circle back to consumer."

☆ Apple needs another hit product. But the rumored new AR/VR glasses will not be it.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Michael Gartenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Apple is widely rumored to be releasing augmented-reality/virtual-reality glasses in 2023. It has long been rumored that Apple will create a car to take on the likes of Tesla. What does seem likely is that Apple will release augmented-reality/virtual-reality glasses, rumored to be coming in 2023 with an OS called xrOS. While I'm always excited to see what innovations companies like Apple have in store, I have some serious concerns about betting on AR/VR glasses as a growth market. Beyond the practical concerns of battery life, comfort, and price, there's the fundamental issue of the lack of a compelling use case for AR or VR glasses.

☆ 'The devices would have gotten us killed.' Microsoft's military smart goggles failed four of six elements during a recent test, internal Army report says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft won a contract worth as much as $22 billion to build smart goggles for the US military. The device received a poor reception from soldiers in a recent test, according to an Army report. Microsoft's smart goggles for the US military failed most elements of a recent Army test and one tester remarked the device would be dangerous for soldiers to wear, according to excerpts from an Army report dictated to Insider. The device failed in four out of six evaluation events in a recent "operational demo," according to a Microsoft employee briefed about the event. The Army contract was considered a major milestone for Microsoft in particular and the augmented reality field in general.

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