Image Source: Microsoft HoloLens
It’s been another busy week in AR+VR! In addition to keeping you up-to-date on the top AR+VR news, funding activity, and launch announcements, here are there three stories you need to know: Mobile AR top platform, HoloLens wins the Army and the massive opportunity of enterprise AR.
New survey data from Digi-Capital and AWE show interest in mobile AR is higher than other XR platforms. Mobile AR matters to 76% of all respondents, with smartglasses at 65% similar to VR 62%.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s HoloLens beat out the likes of Magic Leap’s latest device for a whopping $480 million Army Battlefield contract which will see as many as 100,000 HoloLens devices purchased as a result.
Finally, 6D.ai’s CEO, Matt Miesnieks and General Catalyst partner, Niko Bonatsos talked on the massive opportunity for augmented reality in the enterprise at TechCrunch Berlin - citing auto, oil and gas and pharma as just a few industries to benefit.
Ultrahaptics raises £35m for expansion (The Sunday Times)
Phiar raises $3 million for an AR navigation app for drivers (TechCrunch)
Wearable Augmented Reality Startup ARtGlass Closes $1.3 Million Angel Round (Digital Journal)
Microsoft Wins $480 Million Army Battlefield Contract (Bloomberg)
DigiLens raises funding for holographic AR displays from Niantic and Mitsubishi Chemical (VentureBeat)
UK Government issues £72 million investment in new Core Innovation Hub to bolster VR and other tech to make UK world leader in construction (Gov.uk)
Samsung to invest $40m in Niantic in 'exclusive' games deal (The Inquirer)
Occipital launches new Structure Core Sensor (Next Reality)
British AR pioneer Wave Optics signs deal with Google supplier Goertek (Telegraph)
Dreamscape Immersive to Open 4 New Out-of-Home VR Venues (Road to VR)
Modiface launches new tool that enables photo-realistic AR simulation of nail polishes (Next Reality)
Virtual Desktop now mirrors Windows PCs on Oculus Go and Gear VR (VentureBeat)
Imax Closes Sole European VR Center (Variety)
8th Wall, Sumerian and Sony Pictures launch WebAR Spider-Man experience (VR Focus)
Microsoft Garage launches new Sketch 360 app (MSPoweruser)
Firefox Reality VR browser update brings 360-degree video and bookmarks (Silicon Angle)
CoverGirl opens first brick-and-mortar retail featuring augmented reality (Glossy)
Magic Leap Roars into the Auto World via Kia Stinger App from RelayCars (Next Reality)
MIT Open Learning launches Center for Advanced Virtuality (MIT News)