Microsoft HoloLens release date:
Microsoft HoloLens at a glance:
- With Devs 30 March
- Priced at $3,000
- Shipping now
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Microsoft has announced that it will begin shipping HoloLens kits to developers from 30 March. Given the turnaround period on new hardware once it heads to developers, it's safe to say we won't be seeing a commercial release of HoloLens until next year at the earliest.
During an interview with BBC Click, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella essentially confirmed that we wouldn’t see HoloLens released to consumers anytime soon. Nadella stated that HoloLens was on a “five-year journey”, and that developers should have their hands on the device by mid-2016 – which they will. This means that a consumer version could be as far away as 2020.
“We will have developer versions of [HoloLens] first, and then it will be more commercial-use cases, and then it will evolve,” said Nadella. “This is a five-year journey. We are looking forward to getting a v1 out, which is more around developers and enterprises, and you know it’s in the Windows 10 timeframe, which means that it is within the next year.”
Microsoft HoloLens price:
While Microsoft hasn't officially announced a price for the consumer version of HoloLens yet, we do know that the developer units slated for the end of this year will cost a whopping $3,000 a pop. While this price is high, it’s worth remembering that Microsoft is a more traditional software and hardware vendor, instead of adopting a low-cost developer distribution system like Oculus VR, HTC or even Sony, Microsoft is charging developers a premium for a flexible unit to create software on.
What this means regarding a consumer price point is less certain. An unnamed Microsoft executive told The New York Times that a consumer version would cost “significantly more than a games console”. Taking into account the price of a developer unit, and the anonymous employees' words, we could be looking at a device well over £1,000 – nearly four times the price of an Xbox One.
Most other VR headsets are expected to cost from around £300 to £500 – but it's clear that HoloLens will cost more. It’s billed by Microsoft as an all-purpose computing tool with work and productivity applications as well as entertainment, in contrast to rivals’ entertainment-centric status. HoloLens also contains a built-in computer, allowing it to be completely wireless. This will undoubtedly bump the price higher than rivals that rely on external computers.
Microsoft HoloLens specifications:
HoloLens display
Microsoft is keeping tight-lipped about the hardware specs of its fledgeling AR tech, but we can still infer a few juicy product details from the product’s presentation. The visor’s eyepiece is comprised of “see-through holographic HD lenses”, according to project leader Alex Kipman.
Kipman’s wording implies that the display will either be 1080p – otherwise known as “Full HD” – or the less impressive, but still technically HD, 720p resolution. There’s also the possibility HoloLens will sport a 4K display, which would put it ahead of the competition – but you’d have thought Microsoft would have mentioned that in the presentation.
Having seen HoloLens in use via various developer videos and Microsoft showcases, it seems that Microsoft's device will have a smaller field of view than previously thought. Significantly, the HoloLens’ AR images won’t extend to the user’s entire field of view – and are instead confined to a central area.
HoloLens processor
According to PC World, an unnamed source “familiar with the hardware” claimed HoloLens will use a future version of Intel’s Atom processors.
Looking at Intel’s latest range of Atom processors can give us some clues as to what to expect. The Cherry Trail range offered a smaller form factor, faster speeds and more features – such as wireless charging – than its predecessor Bay Trail. A next-generation Atom processor could be smaller, cooler and more efficient than before, giving the HoloLens more oomph without compromising on space.
Another major development Cherry Trail brought with it was RealSense gesture control. This technology allows an expansive range of hands-free control mechanics for interacting with tablets, and it’s not difficult to imagine HoloLens potentially incorporating that framework.
Cherry Trail also features Intel’s WiDi technology, which can wirelessly stream movies, videos and apps from peripherals to larger external displays. This feature could easily find its way into HoloLens, as a way to stream the user’s view to an external screen for creative or entertainment purposes.
Alongside the traditional CPU and GPU found in other computers, HoloLens also sports an all-new “Holographic Processing Unit”. This coprocessor supposedly handles the integration and interaction of real environments and virtual objects, and essentially allows the HoloLens to interpret its surroundings.
From the few images of the device that have been released, we can see that the visor incorporates at least four cameras. We wouldn’t be surprised to discover that there’s a whole battery of extra sensors under the hood either – it’s virtually guaranteed to feature the standard suite of gyroscopes, altimeters and accelerometers found in modern smartphones, as a minimum.
HoloLens sensors
In terms of sensors, our best guesses are currently informed by looking at the Kinect 2. Developed by the team currently working on HoloLens, the Xbox accessory included both depth and 1080p colour cameras, as well as an infrared sensor. It’s fairly safe to assume that these will both feature in the design.
As mentioned above, the Cherry Trail processor supports wireless charging, which will almost certainly be feature on the HoloLens. There’s no obvious charging point in the released photos, and wireless charging would be a big leap forward in terms of convenience compared to its rivals.
There’s also the potential to be able to stream the video to external screens, but we can’t see that being one of the hardware’s major selling points.
At E3 Microsoft also showcased how HoloLens could work in a gaming environment. On stage, a HoloLens-wearing Minecraft player had a 3D, top-down view of their entire Minecraft world. Players could use the HoloLens to manipulate the world around them and to track fellow players – whether to hewlp or hinder them.
During Microsoft’s Build event, we had a look at some more serious applications for the HoloLens. We saw how it can work with Internet of Things devices, for medical science education and could even allow artists to create, manipulate and alter 3D models to be exported to 3D printers.
Microsoft also plans to let you use Windows 10 apps near-seamlessly with HoloLens. The video-player app can be thrown onto a wall and resized, or follow you around if you prefer – essentially replacing your TV. A HoloLens developer gave a great example of this recently when testing out Xbox game streaming to his HoloLens. You can also do the same with Skype, although HoloLens can’t capture your face, so you’d still need a separate camera for video calls.
If you’re wondering how to access apps and features, HoloLens’ version of Windows 10 still contains the Start menu. No, it’s not floating in the corner of your eye, but it can be brought up by Air Tap, which – as you’d imagine – you bring up by tapping the air in front of you.
More impressive, if a little less practical, is the Martian exploration experience. Developed in conjunction with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, the demo allows users to explore and mark points on a virtual recreation of the surface of Mars, created with actual photos taken by the Curiosity rover. This hints towards full-blown VR experiences on the HoloLens, too.
HoloLens Games
During Microsoft’s HoloLens update it also alluded to a compatible HoloLens controller so you can more clearly interact with the virtual world around you. While it didn’t specifically highlight the new handset, in a demo of an exciting new “mixed-reality” game known as “Project X-Ray” the demonstration player was seen holding something that turned into a “wearable hologram”.
Project X-Ray itself also looks like one of the first killer apps for Microsoft’s wearable computer. Designed to turn any room in your home into a gamespace, Project X-Ray brings a robot invasion right into the centre of your home, allowing you to blast bots with a hand-held laser cannon.
Interestingly, HoloLens builds the levels around each room in your home, understanding furniture locations to ensure robots climb over them, float around them and really seem believable in the space you’re playing in. Needless to say, it was incredible to watch unfold onstage.
While this is merely a concept of how you can use augmented reality to play games, it will be exciting to see what developers can do when they get their hands on it in March.
HoloLens and Volvo's plans for a "mixed reality" showroom
The Microsoft HoloLens offers a range of possibilities in education and leisure – and Volvo thinks it could also help customers chose which car to buy. In a video released today, the Swedish manufacturer demonstrates how the HoloLens could form an integral part of the retail process.
After entering an empty room and putting on the headset, potential customers will be able to view full-scale projections of the Volvo range. Because the HoloLens is an AR device, each projection will be overlaid into the customer's existing surroundings. What’s more, prospective car-buyers will be able to strip the car down and view individual elements of the car.
"We are thrilled to be working with Volvo Cars to reimagine what is possible in car design, discovery and purchasing," said Scott Erickson, senior director at Microsoft HoloLens, in a statement. "We're excited to be at this intersection of technology and human-centric design with Volvo.”
The move comes after Volvo announced Concept 26, its vision for autonomous cars – and also follows Volvo and Microsoft’s announcement of a larger tech partnership. As you’d expect from Volvo, the new partnership features a focus on safety – and also the development of autonomous technology.
Microsoft HoloLens: Third-party manufacturers
Asus has announced it will be building its own HoloLens competitor. Following on from last month's news that it was in talks with Microsoft to potentially build an alternate version of HoloLens, Asus CEO Jerry Shen confirmed that it will be entering the market as soon as next year.
"It should be next year when we come out with a product," said Shen, according to CNET. He added: "we think AR (augmented reality) will be very important for people's lives."
Details around the device are scant, and it's unclear if this is a direct rival to HoloLens or instead just an alternative model designed to get to market sooner than Microsoft's device. While Sony and HTC have become involved in virtual reality with PlayStation VR and the HTC Vive respectively, Asus hasn't mentioned if it's also looking into the technology alongside its augmented-reality headset. Either way, it'll be interesting to see what Asus is up to.
