17 Dec 2018
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Tom Emrich
AR+VR Weekly: HoloLens 2, Facebook AR/VR report and IMAX kills VR centers
AR/VR Weekly
Catch up on the latest XR highlights, funding news & launch announcements: Week of Dec 17
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: HoloLens 2, Facebook AR/VR report and IMAX kills VR centers.
The next HoloLens which is expected to be released in 2019 may run the Snapdragon 850 according to recent reports. Microsoft has previously confirmed that the HoloLens 2 will feature a custom AI coprocessor and will include the same sensor that is in the Project Kinect for Azure.
Meanwhile, a Facebook report for marketers found that 65% surveyed anticipate VR to become part of daily life with 63% indicating they wanted to use VR for pre-purchase product testing which was the most desired use case.
Finally, IMAX has shuttered its VR offering. The movie giant notified its shareholders within a SEC filing Thursday that it will close its remaining three VR centers concluding its “pilot program” offering VR to the masses at select locations.
Funding News
Niantic reportedly raising $200M at $3.9B valuation (TechCrunch)
WaveOptics nabs $26M as it sets its sights on lower-cost AR hardware (TechCrunch)
TechSee nabs $16M for its customer support solution built on computer vision and AR (TechCrunch)
Launch Announcements
Google Lens arrives on iOS search app (TechCrunch)
Google launches Playground AR app to all Pixel devices (Next Reality)
MediaTek launches Helio P90 SoC with Google Lens and ARCore support (GSMArena)
AMD announces Radeon Software Adrenalin 2019 Edition (VR Focus)
Unity releases 2018.3 laying the foundation for Project MARS (Next Reality)
Orcam launches Kickstarter campaign for the MyMe wearable camera (The Verge)
Twenty Billion Neurons debuts “Millie” avatar, an AR-powered sales assistant (Bloomberg)
Soul Machines launches its Digital DNA solution (IT Brief)
Molotov launches Molotov Together, a VR app that lets you watch TV with others in VR (TechCrunch
Cheddar to launch in mixed reality on Magic Leap devices (Axios)
VRgineers debuts its high-end VR hardware with 180-degree FOV (TechCrunch)
Mall of America debuts holiday AR scavenger hunt (Mobile Marketer)
CTRL-labs’ first dev kit is a gesture-tracking neural controller (TechCrunch)
VNTANA and Mall of America launch first-ever interactive shopping hologram concierge (VNTANA)
