This week has been quite exciting for me as I gear up for my first ever trip to CES in January! I’m busy planning all the details and setting up meetings to test out some cutting-edge AR/VR glasses. If you’re planning to be there too, reach out! Any tips to enhance my CES experience would be much appreciated. I’m eager to share all about my adventures there with you. But for now, let’s dive into the top XR news of the week… and there’s a giveaway too!
Top News of the Week
Google Announced Android XR
The biggest headline of the week, and potentially the year, is Google’s official announcement of Android XR. This new operating system by Google is set to power all XR devices, including mixed reality headsets and AR glasses, as well as smart glasses. The first piece of hardware to support this OS is the mixed-reality headset developed by Google in collaboration with Samsung and Qualcomm, known under the project name Moohan. Other companies, like XREAL, Sony, and Lynx, are also aligning their upcoming devices with this new system. Google gave a sneak peek of Android XR to selected press members on the Project Moohan headset, as well as on monocular and binocular smart glasses.
A standout feature of Android XR is its integration with artificial intelligence. Gemini AI, the deeply embedded assistant, stays in sync with both your real and virtual interactions, prepared to lend a hand when necessary. For instance, you could show it a restaurant’s business card, and Gemini AI will pull up its location in 3D via Google Maps. Or, it can offer live translations with smart glasses — pretty amazing! It even remembers interactions from the last 10 minutes, making it handy yet slightly concerning from a privacy perspective.
Android XR also offers impressive features like the automatic conversion of photos and videos into 3D and supports various input modes like controllers, hand gestures, eye movements, or voice. At launch, the suite will feature G-suite apps and games like Demeo or Vacation Simulator, with more on the way. Developers can already delve into a preview of the development environment for native, Unity, and WebXR apps.
About Project Moohan, info is sparse, but it’s rumored to blend elements from the Quest Pro and Apple Vision Pro with an external battery, high-resolution displays, and detailed passthrough. It runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2+ Gen2 chipset, and controllers are expected in 2025, when the headset ships. Google’s entry brings fresh validation and competition, which is great for the XR field. Let’s just hope it doesn’t fade into obscurity in a couple of years.
Other Relevant News
Latest Quest Update Enhances Hand Tracking, Windows 11 Pairing, and More
Meta is rolling out the v72 runtime update for Quest, introducing some neat features:
- Hand tracking has improved with version 2.3, offering more responsive tracking, especially in confined environments like on-the-go mode.
- Windows Mixed Reality Link is here, allowing Quest 3 and 3S users to connect to their Windows 11 PCs by simply looking at their PCs, similar to Vision Pro with Macs. This setup lets you work on a large virtual display.
- All keyboards can now be tracked and shown using passthrough.
- A new Media Gallery app helps you view media on your device.
- You can enter the home environment in VR without setting up a boundary, as a static setup is assumed, providing a seamless entry into your VR space.
There are also minor tweaks, such as adding Direct messaging in the Instagram app. The Windows 11 link is a game-changer for me; I’m eager to try this feature out.
News Worth a Mention
Omdia Predicts a Grim 2025 for XR
A report from Omdia paints a rather bleak picture for the XR market. They highlight a 10% drop in headset sales to 6.9 million units in 2024, down from 7.7 million in 2023, expecting this trend to continue into 2025 but with a return to growth by 2026. Despite this, I sense the industry has been on a slow ascent since 2023, with successes like Ray-Ban meta and the advent of Android XR hinting at a positive trend.
How Gorilla Tag Became a Major Success
JP Minetos from Road To VR wrote about Gorilla Tag and its rise to fame. The game’s core social mechanics, unique movement style, ease of access, and meme-worthy content have significantly fueled its popularity.
Quest 3S’s Sweet Deal
The Quest 3S (256 GB) is now available for $400 on Amazon US and other regions, with an additional $30 digital Amazon credit, making it a great deal until Christmas.
Batman: Arkham Shadow Snags Best VR/AR Game Award
Batman: Arkham Shadow, crafted by Camouflaj, clinched the Best VR/AR Game Award at The Game Awards this year — a well-deserved win considering its impact on the VR community.
A Few Content Updates
- Fallout London VR is bringing VR support to the epic Fallout: London DLC.
- Path of Fury: Episode I – Tetsuo’s Tower will let players battle through 80s Kung Fu-inspired action, launching in early 2025 for $9.99 on Quest.
- Bridge Constructor enters the XR world with the beloved bridge-building simulation, priced at $10.
- Behemoth’s significant update fixes numerous bugs and balances combat, following mixed community feedback.
- Clone Drone in the Hyperdome, Doborog Games’ sequel, is now available on Steam and Meta for $20.
Explore more intriguing developments from Realize Music: Sing’s VR platform launch to Panic Room MR’s horror gaming on Quest. Plus, Mecha Force channels Shin Getter Robo in its exciting new access phase on Quest.
If you’re curious about Android XR or how Google and Apple are affecting the VR landscape, many players are keeping a keen eye on the upcoming shake-ups.
Other News
Reviews are circulating, like Rob Cole’s in-depth analysis of Pimax Crystal Light and Norman Mueller’s take on smartglasses updates. Apple recently introduced the Ultrawide Virtual Display for Vision Pro in VisionOS 2.2, a development worth noting alongside affordable custom VR controllers from NeoGrip.
Unity has announced applications for its Humanity 2025 grant, and ‘Into The Scaniverse’ offers global exploration to budding adventurers via WebXR, all demonstrating exciting times in XR.
News from Partners (and Friends)
Have you ever wanted to invest in Vitruvian Virtual Reality? Well, now you can! The startup, offering an immersive simulator experience allowing full-body motion in 6DOF, has launched a crowdfunding campaign. Join in for as little as €250.
And to all mecha game enthusiasts, Iron Rebellion is giving away a few steam keys! Grab them fast if you want to enjoy this Titanfall and Hawken-inspired game or consider buying it to support the developers.
Some XR Fun
Here’s a little dose of XR humor:
- Ever wonder about the camera setup for Quest 4? Funny link
- A comic strip featuring chicken and virtual reality hijinks. Funny link
- The first rule of Fight Club is… Funny link
Donate for Good
In closing, let’s take a moment for a cause that really matters. Instead of supporting my blog, consider contributing to help those impacted by the war. Please donate to the Red Cross for their humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Below is the link you’ll need.
Lastly, I must thank all my Patreon supporters for their continuous backing:
- Alex Gonzalez VR
- DeoVR
- GenVR
- Eduardo Siman
- Jonn Fredericks
… and many more outstanding contributors!
Here’s the link to donate: Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
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