🕶️ Google is arming up to compete in the XR war

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Why rely on your PC to power your headset when a keyboard can do the job? This is the innovative leap Sightful aims to bring to the market. Meanwhile, Google is making strategic moves, collaborating with key players for a potential re-entry into the XR space. Let’s see what else is going on in the XR world…

Today’s Topics:

• 👓 Magic Leap Partners with Google for XR Headsets

• 💸 ‘Quest 3S’ Could Be Meta’s Budget-Friendly VR Headset

• ⌨️ Sightful Unveils a Keyboard that Powers an AR Workstation

Reading time: 5min

👓 Magic Leap Partners with Google for XR Headsets

Google and Magic Leap have announced a “multi-faceted strategic technology partnership” 🤝 to advance the XR ecosystem, hinting at innovative future products 🌐.

The Details:

• Magic Leap’s optics and manufacturing expertise is a key part of the partnership 🔍. The company claims to produce “highly-precise eyepieces with incredibly high yield rates and quality at scale” 🏭.

• Both Google Glass and Magic Leap’s previous headsets have faced significant challenges, with high costs and limited adoption. Despite this, their underlying technologies may still hold promise for future XR developments 💼.

• Developing and producing optical components for lightweight AR glasses is difficult and expensive 💸, as evidenced by current market offerings like Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro and Meta’s various XR products .

• Despite downsizing its AR/VR division, Google remains invested in augmented reality, recently showcasing a prototype at Google I/O 👁️.

Our Thoughts: While specifics of the partnership remain unclear, combining Google’s resources with Magic Leap’s expertise could lead to significant advancements in XR technology. However, given the history of both companies in this space, it’s worth watching how this collaboration unfolds and what it ultimately produces. But who knows, maybe we are going to witness a second edition of the Google Glass🔭.

💸 ‘Quest 3S’ Could Be Meta’s Budget-Friendly VR Headset

Meta has seemingly confirmed the existence of its next VR headset, the Quest 3S, through several Quest Store listings.

The Details:

• Apparently, the Quest 3S appeared in Quest Store listings for apps like Alo Moves XR, Miracle Pool, and Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition, signaling its upcoming integration into the VR ecosystem 🎮.

• The Quest 3S is rumored to be a more affordable version of the Quest 3, which launched in October 2023, potentially broadening its market reach 🎧.

• An internal presentation from Mark Rabkin, Meta’s VP of VR, hinted at a more “accessible” headset codenamed Ventura aimed at delivering high value at a lower price, suggesting strategic pricing decisions 💡.

Our Thoughts: If the Quest 3S is indeed a budget-friendly alternative to the Quest 3, it could attract a broader audience to VR, enhancing Meta's influence in the consumer VR market. Meta's strategy to offer a high-quality, cost-effective VR experience aligns with their goal to dominate the consumer VR market. However, specific details and official confirmation from Meta are still awaited, keeping the VR community eagerly anticipating further announcements 🚀.

⌨️ Sightful Unveils a Keyboard that Powers an AR Workstation

AR startup Sightful has officially launched the Spacetop G1, a headless AR workstation promising up to seven hours of battery life, setting a new benchmark in the AR space.

The Details:

• Spacetop G1 offers an impressive seven-hour battery life, far surpassing the two to three hours of battery life typically seen in headsets like Meta Quest 3 or Apple Vision Pro 🔋.

• The workstation includes a 70% faster Qualcomm chipset compared to its early access version, a 90Hz optics refresh rate, and onboard AI functionality 🚀.

• Spacetop G1 operates on SpaceOS, an Android-based system 🌐 focusing on web apps, though it currently lacks access to the Google Play store 🚫.

Our Thoughts: With its long battery life and focus on privacy and productivity, the Spacetop G1 could appeal to professionals seeking a portable AR solution 👀. However, its reliance on its operating system, the SpaceOS, might be a drawback for some users. As Sightful continues to develop its ecosystem, the peculiar Spacetop G1 represents a significant step forward in making the concept of AR workstations more viable and appealing for everyday use.

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