Market Reality: Microsoft Intros HoloLens 2 Variant, Canon Sets High Price for AR Headset & Apple AR Rumors Re-Emerge

If there is one constant in currently available AR headsets, it's that, for a quality experience, they'll carry a high price tag. Price is one of the reasons these devices are mostly marketed towards enterprise customers for now.

And that's the case with HoloLens 2, generally considered the best on the market at the moment. Now, Microsoft has taken a step to pitch its AR solution for specific use cases with a variation on the device.

But Microsoft hasn't even set the high water mark on prices for AR headsets. That badge goes to Canon's Mreal S1, which costs more than most midsize sedans.

Meanwhile, as the latest reports of Apple's AR/VR headset and its components surface, we can assume that it won't come cheap, either.

In other AR news, Blippar landed a big AR ad campaign with beverage brand Corona.

Microsoft Pursues Clean Room Business with Industrial-Grade HoloLens 2

Ever since the US Army awarded Microsoft's HoloLens a $480 million contract, the battle for enterprise augmented reality has heated up in earnest.

Now, the Redmond, Washington tech giant is looking to strengthen its hold on the burgeoning AR enterprise space by introducing the HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition.

Continue reading to learn more about how Microsoft is targeting pharmaceutical and semiconductor clean rooms with its new variant of HoloLens 2...

REALITY BITES: While Microsoft, Magic Leap, and other AR headset makers, as well as companies building software for those devices, have pitched AR solutions for use in surgical suites, Phillips has developed a headset-free option. The ClarifEye Augmented Reality Surgical Navigation combines the Azurion imaging platform with four high-resolution cameras to assist surgeons performing spinal procedures a live 3D view of the patient's anatomy.

Canon Breaks Bank with MREAL S1

You only 'thought' the HoloLens 2 was the most expensive augmented reality device on the market.

As with many things tech, Japan is here to up the ante with what may indeed be the most expensive AR-dedicated wearable we've seen—the Canon MREAL S1.

Just how much does it cost? Keep reading to find out and learn what the MREAL gives users for all that extra cheddar...

REALITY BITES: Facebook's Project Aria smartglasses may have passed through the Federal Communications Commision (FCC). The filing was submitted by Gnome Farn, LLC and signed by Carrie Tillman, CEO of CSC Global, a registered agent specializing in corporate filings, among other services, so the submission could be for anyone. However, a diagram of the temple of the device with the FCC label resembles the renderings previously revealed by Facebook Reality Labs. While Facebook says the device is not meant to be a consumer product, but rather a research device for experimenting with AR app building, the company would still need FCC certification for connectivity.

Apple Reportedly Launching AR/VR Headset with 8k Displays and LiDAR in Early 2022

Rumors around Apple's not-so-secret development of an AR/VR headset have been prevalent throughout the young year, but the latest round of reports move speculation of the device into a clearer view.

The latest leaks give us not only specifications but also an artist's rendering based on leaked photos of the headset, as well as a possible timeline for release from analysts based on supplier reports.

Read on to find out what we can expect the Apple AR/VR headset to include, what it looks like, and when we might be able to get our hands on it...

REALITY BITES: The latest company to realize increased business while consumers practiced social distancing during the pandemic is Vertebrae. The web-based AR commerce company closed its 2020 books having tripled revenue. In addition, Vertebrae reported a 150% increase in client acquisitions and deployed 50% more AR and 3D activations for their clients. Its clients enjoyed reporting "up to a 112% conversion lift and 106% increase in revenue per visit" from Vertebrae's AR and 3D content.

Blippar Executes AR Ad Campaign for Corona Hard Seltzer

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.

The brand's latest effort leverages an AR experience to entice drinkers with the Corona Hard Seltzer line of "spike sparkling water."

Read further to learn more about the AR experience built by Blippar, and how the revived AR company is bullish on its prospects for earning more business from the food and beverage industry...

Every Friday, Next Reality reviews the latest headlines from the financial side of augmented and mixed reality. This weekly Market Reality column covers funding announcements, mergers and acquisitions, market analysis, and the like. Check out previous editions of Market Reality for more news you may have missed.