Well, now we can put to rest all the rumors and guessing that has been doing rounds on the internet. Microsoft has officially unveiled the HoloLens 2, a next-generation headset for mixed reality.
Microsoft hopes this new headset will change “the way work gets done,” promising a more immersive and comfortable user experience compared to the first HoloLens. When compared to its predecessor, the HoloLens 2 gives users more than double the field of view; though Microsoft remained non-committal on giving the exact figures on that.
Though the two mixed reality headsets have the same 47 pixels per degree of sight. Microsoft says with HoloLens 2; it will be like you switching from a 720p TV to a 2K one for each set of eyes.
Both headsets come with the technology to track your retinas in order to establish exactly where you are looking at. The HeloLens 2 also supports Windows Hello authentication right out of the box.
The headset also comes with new ‘time-of-flight’ depth sensors powered with interesting algorithms for tracking your hands controller-free. Using this technology, the user can interact with the interface using one finger, or the entire fist to punch the buttons mid-air.
The HoloLens 2 should also be light given it is built using carbon-fiber material and Microsoft says it has improved thermal management for more comfortable wear. It also comes with a dial a user can press to tighten the main headband, like what we see in PlayStation VR.
The primary visor on the headset is also quick to flip up should you want to remove it and concentrate on something else quickly. It still appears Microsoft is targetting enterprise customers with the HoloLens 2. We get this from how much time Microsoft spent explaining how the headset will be an “immediate” value to the big corporations.
The first HoloLens was a hit with companies like Airbus, Pearson, Saab, and HoneyWell among others. Microsoft also did a tease with a “true collaborative computing” workplace called Spatial.
Anand Agarawala, the co-founder and CEO of Spatial showcased a virtual whiteboard where multiple users can chat and share ideas. The Spatial virtual workspace is more or less like what you get with Oculus Room but has more sticky notes and fewer games.
