Next Reality Features
News: Apple Reportedly Moving Forward with VR/AR Hybrid Headset with Potential 2022 Launch
The latest whispers about Apple's plans to launch its long-awaited (yet still unconfirmed) augmented reality device hits several familiar notes, but lands on a different refrain.
News: Mozilla Wants to Make Firefox Reality Your Web Browser for Augmented & Virtual Reality Headsets
Before Google Chrome entered the scene and subsequently dominated the market, Firefox trailed only Internet Explorer as the most popular web browser. Now, Mozilla has its sights set on a new opportunity to revive its browser for immersive experiences.
Apple AR: Apple's First Augmented Reality Wearable May Include MicroLED Panels from Taiwan, Report Says
With numerous insider reports, patent awards, acquisitions, and hires over the past few years, augmented reality smartglasses from Apple appear to be an inevitability.
Dev Report: Tango Is Dead, ARCore Preview 2 Is Here with No Change to the Device List
In a highly exciting but ultimately disappointing turn of events, Google released the ARCore Preview 2 today. While the new preview does bring with it new versions of the application programming interface (API) for the C language, pause and resume functionality, as well as increased accuracy, one thing it seems to be missing is a bigger compatibility list.
News: USA Today Scores Points with NHL Fans via Augmented Reality Profile of Capitals Star
If you've blocked out your calendar to watch the NHL All-Star Game this weekend, then you might be excited to know that USA Today has given its readers the opportunity to meet Washington Capital's John Carlson in augmented reality.
Dev Report: Live 3D Tiles Are Finally Available for Windows Mixed Reality Headsets but Not HoloLens
Longtime Next Reality readers may remember my Wish List for Microsoft early last year. It was a post in which I put my head together with a number of other community developers to create a list of features that would make Windows Mixed Reality and HoloLens better for developers. It would seem that one of the most sought-after features is finally here ... well, sort of.
Market Reality: Microsoft's Consumer Smartglasses, Apple Invests in Corning & Niantic Launches Lightship Beta
Sure, Microsoft has mostly marketed its HoloLens headsets towards enterprises and developers, but we learned this week that, like every other tech giant, the company is working on a consumer-grade AR wearable. Speaking of consumer smartglasses, Apple made another strategic investment this week that has implications for Apple's AR future.
News: UK-Based Ultrahaptics Acquires Leap Motion for $30 Million
The long and somewhat tumultuous journey of Leap Motion has come to an end, thanks to another startup.
News: Niantic Planning to Chart AR Maps with Crowdsourcing Help from Gamers
If you are an active player of Pokémon GO, you may soon be capturing more than just virtual pocket monsters.
News: Meta Appoints Chief Revenue Officer
Augmented reality headset and software maker Meta Company announced today board member Joe Mikhail will serve as the company's chief revenue officer.
News: Samsung Event App Leak Reveals Augmented Reality Version of Galaxy S9
In just a few days, all the Galaxy S9 and S9+ leaks will come to an end, as Samsung will officially unveil its latest top-tier smartphone. But before that happens, we're all getting another leaked image of the handset thanks to a bit of snooping and the magic of augmented reality.
Market Reality: HoloLens 2 Arrives, Valve Reportedly Assists Apple with AR Device, & Niantic Prepares AR Cloud Launch
While the long-awaited HoloLens 2 officially arrived this week, details leaked about another, arguably longer-awaited AR headset, the fabled wearable from Apple, and a previously undisclosed partner assisting the Cupertino-based company with the hardware.
News: Marvel Studios Tosses 'Falcon & the Winter Soldier' AR Game to Fans in Time for Finale
Disney Plus shows WandaVision and Falcon and the Winter Soldier are both streaming hits, but the two series could not be more different in terms of giving fans a taste of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Apple ARKit: ePlay Lines Up to Tackle Fantasy Sports with ARKit
Sports gaming company ePlay Digital, Inc. is looking to capitalize on the fall launch of iOS 11 and ARKit with an augmented reality fantasy sports app.
News: USA Today Deepens Story on Afghanistan War with AR Experience
The augmented reality team at USA Today closed out a prolific year of immersive storytelling with a hard-hitting companion piece exploring the controversial conflict in Afghanistan.
News: Snapchat Delivers Augmented Reality Gifts with New Holiday AR Lenses
You won't have to ask Santa for holiday-themed augmented reality experiences, because practically any social and shopping app that offers AR effects has them available now.
Apple AR: Mobile App Lets You Organize Your Meal Options with Event Planner
If you've ever organized an event, you know how chaotic it can be. Event planners are essential, but even so, taking the time to make sure it's organized and everyone is getting what they want can be stressful. Especially when you have to account for what every person is eating at the event, what their toppings are, and how they'd like their meal cooked.
News: Safran Combines Infrared & AR for World-First Airplane Test System
It seems nowadays there's no limit to what type of companies are looking to invest in augmented reality. Given both the positive outlook on the future of AR, and its reported benefits for efficiency in employees, this makes sense. Safran, an international corporation with three main sectors—aerospace, defense, and security—is one such company taking the plunge into incorporating AR in their business.
News: SwapBots Is the Type of Idea the Mixed Reality Future Needs
The hunt for the mixed reality use-case that wins over consumers' hearts and creates a critical mass is a problem every developer would love to solve. Not only would they find themselves rich and famous seemingly overnight, but they would also end up making one of the various possible hardware solutions a viable place for other developers to put their time and energy.
Market Reality: Facebook Cancels F8, Magic Leap Invites Developers to Headquarters, & Snapchat Promotes New UK Currency
Amid the coronavirus chaos, two companies at the forefront of augmented reality technology took starkly different approaches to their upcoming developers conferences, as Facebook has canceled its annual F8 conference and Magic Leap plans to invite a limited number of attendees to its Florida headquarters for LEAP Developer Days.
News: Campfire CEO Jay Wright on How He Plans to Use AR to Transform How We Work & Collaborate
The mission to rise above the fray to become a leading player in the augmented reality business is a moving target that depends on innovation, resources, and timing.
News: North Cuts Price of Focals Smartglasses, Launches Prescription Lenses, & Adds Pop-Up Stores to Seattle & San Francisco
With the first pop-up showroom for North's Focals smartglasses opening its doors next week, customers are now able to purchase the smartglasses at a drastically lower price tag.
News: WarDucks Lands $3.8 Million Funding for Location-Based Augmented Reality Gaming, Adds Legendary Doom Developer
With plans to compete with Niantic and other augmented reality game developers, game developer WarDucks has closed a $3.8 million funding round.
News: UFC Lets You Pick the Winners in AR via Snapchat Lens
As the sports world slowly gets back to normal while observing pandemic protocols, fans are once again being folded into the mix in innovative ways.
News: North Adds Sports Updates, Language Flashcards, & Trivia Games to Focals Smartglasses
While North has yet to add third-party app support to its Focals smartglasses, the company has been diligent as of late in its efforts to add more functionality to the bare-bones AR device.
News: Magic Leap & SK Telecom Seal Exclusive Wireless Partnership for South Korean Market
As Magic Leap continues to spread its influence in the US with the help of wireless carrier AT&T, the augmented reality startup is also working its way into East Asia.
Market Reality: Sketchfab Opens AR Content Store, Amazon Pushes Fitness Gear with AR & DAQRI Capitalizes on AR Training
While it may seem to some like investors are just throwing their money at augmented reality companies simply because the tech is heavily hyped, these money managers do actually want to see a return on their investments.
News: Snapchat Adds Speech-Activated Lenses to Its Augmented Reality Capabilities
Snapchat users are used to raising their eyebrows or opening their mouths to activate augmented reality face effects. Now, they get to use their voices as well.
Exclusive: Meta Patent Infringement Case Moves Step Closer to Resolution, New Asset Owner Revealed
The story of Meta and its Meta 2 augmented reality headset isn't over, there's a new development that could impact its ultimate fate.
News: Magic Leap Sheds Light on Lumin OS, Disney Creates AR's Future, & The New York Times Innovates on AR Strategy
Magic Leap has earned a reputation for overt secrecy, but as it nears the highly-anticipated launch of the Magic Leap One, the company is spilling some of the beans. This week, we get a heaping helping of information on the Lumin OS, as well as a couple of great demos.
AR Snapshots: Celebrate Black History Month & Get Ready for Valentine's Day with These Snapchat Lenses
February is the shortest month, but it's marked by the celebration of Black history and the celebration of romantic love.
News: Lampix Exec Gordon Meyer Podcast Interview, Says the Future of AR Isn't in Wearables
The future of augmented reality isn't on your smartphone or face, it's in the everyday items all around us. At least that's the belief of Gordon Meyer, the vice president of marketing at New York-based startup Lampix.
News: PayPal Patents Point to Big Plans for Augmented Reality E-Commerce on Smartphones & Smartglasses
With all the recent activity around augmented reality, the possibilities involving immersive computing and commerce are quickly becoming obvious, and digital payments giant PayPal has no plans to sit on the sidelines
News: This May Be the Cutest Way to Get Directions Ever
Have you ever looked down to your phone and said "This GPS app works well, but why isn't it cuter?" Well, you're in luck! Tokyo's Sunrise Aquarium has what might be the cutest way to navigate to their facility—just follow the penguins!
News: Snap Spectacles Used to Turn Spoken Word Poetry into an Augmented Reality Experience
From the front lines of mainstreaming augmented reality smartglasses comes the latest update from Snap and its Spectacles wearable.
News: Corona Taps Blippar to Promote Its Hard Seltzer Line with AR Games & Recipes
Despite the unfortunate social media-driven association of Corona beer with the virus behind a global pandemic, beverage maker Constellation Brands has pushed its marketing forward like a lime through the mouth of a beer bottle.
News: 8th Wall Revs Up Realism for Web AR Experiences with Real-Time Reflective Surfaces
Since launching its web-based AR platform in 2018, 8th Wall has continued to push the boundaries of what brands can do with AR experiences outside of native apps.
News: Is Facebook Trolling the Winklevoss Twins with Its New AR Smartglasses Project Code-Named Gemini?
The initiative known as Project Aria has been the focus of curiosity around Facebook's augmented reality plans ever since Mark Zuckerberg revealed the device around this time last year.
Dev Report: Microsoft's New Telepresence Tutorial Makes Entry Point for Sharing Easier
We know your time is valuable to you, so starting this week — and continuing every Wednesday — we are going to release weekly Dev Reports that quickly highlight important news and updates that augmented and mixed reality developers should know about.
Market Reality: Magic Leap Demotes Execs, Artie Makes AR Smarter, & Walmart Adds AR to Its Shopping Cart
Signaling a new direction forward for the company, Magic Leap shook up its executive suite by re-assigning to top leaders to new advisory roles. Meanwhile, a new startup backed by Hollywood executives, tech venture firms, and notable angel investors plans to bring new life to AR for marketing entertainment properties.