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Michael Abrash on stage at Oculus Connect 3. Photo: Bloomberg.
Reality Check

VR Optimism From Meta’s Abrash; Fortnite’s Creative Mode Future

By Mathew Olson · May 16, 2022 11:00am PDT
Let’s kick off this week with a look at what some longtime metaverse thinkers have been up to lately. We’ll start with a recent podcast interview of Meta Platform’s Michael Abrash, check in on why Epic Games founder and CEO Tim Sweeney made headlines late last week, and then look at author (and “metaverse” originator) Neal Stephenson’s decision... Let’s kick off this week with a look at what some longtime metaverse thinkers have been up to...
A person using a Quest 2 VR headset. Photo: Meta Platforms.
Reality Check

Reality Labs Faces Cutbacks; A New Peek at Cambria

By Mathew Olson · May 12, 2022 11:00am PDT
There’s good news and bad news swirling around Meta Platforms today. We’ve learned a bit more about its upcoming Project Cambria headset and Meta’s plans to make it easier to create mixed reality apps for it and Quest. But there’s a shadow looming over those announcements: on Wednesday evening, Reuters reported that Meta is planning cutbacks at... There’s good news and bad news swirling around Meta Platforms today. We’ve learned a bit more...
A look at Google's new prototype AR glasses for translation. Credit: Alphabet.
Reality Check

AR Translation Glasses and More From Google I/O

By Mathew Olson · May 11, 2022 12:45pm PDT
You didn’t hear the word ‘metaverse’ once from Google executives at today’s I/O developer conference keynote. Instead, CEO Sundar Pichai and others talked up “ambient computing,” the concept of weaving digital devices into people’s lives so they can seamlessly connect with the internet while going about their day. In other words, Google’s in no... You didn’t hear the word ‘metaverse’ once from Google executives at today’s I/O developer...
An attendee using Google Glass at 2019's I/O conference. Photo: Bloomberg.
What Kind of Spotlight Will AR Get at Google I/O?
By Mathew Olson · May 10, 2022 11:00am PDT
An attendee using Google Glass at 2019's I/O conference. Photo: Bloomberg.
Reality Check

What Kind of Spotlight Will AR Get at Google I/O?

By Mathew Olson · May 10, 2022 11:00am PDT
Google is set to hold its annual I/O developer conference tomorrow, which makes now as good a time as any to check in on how Alphabet is faring when it comes to AR and VR.While much of the product buzz ahead of this year’s conference concerns the potential reveal of a Pixel-branded watch, we’re expecting to receive some updates about Google’s... Google is set to hold its annual I/O developer conference tomorrow, which makes now as good a...
A mock-up of AR artwork from Meta's 2021 Connect presentation. Credit: Meta Platforms.
Reality Check

Instagram Eyes AR NFT Launch; Horizon Worlds Gobbles Up Venues

By Mathew Olson · May 9, 2022 11:00am PDT · 1 comment
Is the NFT market truly cratering or have reports of its demise been greatly exaggerated? However vigorous the demand for digital collectibles may or may not be, the market might get a shot in the arm from Meta Platforms: today, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Instagram will begin testing support for NFTs this week, letting select users... Is the NFT market truly cratering or have reports of its demise been greatly exaggerated?...
A researcher wearing a holographic glasses prototype with 2.5mm thick displays. Credit: Jonghyun Kim.
Reality Check

New Advances in Ultra-Thin VR; Reality Labs Gets New COO

By Mathew Olson · May 5, 2022 11:00am PDT
If there’s one adjective that the AR/VR industry would love to put behind it, it’s got to be “bulky.” Especially for VR hardware, it has proven difficult to move away from designs that need large, heavy lenses in order to bring displays into proper focus. New research from Nvidia and Stanford, though, shows a path not just toward making slimmer,... If there’s one adjective that the AR/VR industry would love to put behind it, it’s got to be “...
Cravone City, a user-made environment in Second Life. Credit: Linden Lab.
Reality Check

The Metaverse Second Life Wants; Carnegie Mellon’s VR Tracking Experiment

By Mathew Olson · May 4, 2022 11:02am PDT
Second Life is looking for a new lease on life.The 19-year old service, which still reaches one million people monthly, is bringing in new executives and trialing new features in the hopes of expanding its audience after a long period of little growth. But to really expand its audience, Second Life needs to expand beyond computers to mobile... Second Life is looking for a new lease on life.The 19-year old service, which still reaches one...
The non-AR Ray-Ban Stories glasses launched by Meta last year. Photo: EssilorLuxottica.
Meta’s Latest in AR Audio Research; Spotify Debuts a Roblox World
By Mathew Olson · May 3, 2022 11:01am PDT
The non-AR Ray-Ban Stories glasses launched by Meta last year. Photo: EssilorLuxottica.
Reality Check

Meta’s Latest in AR Audio Research; Spotify Debuts a Roblox World

By Mathew Olson · May 3, 2022 11:01am PDT
Every now and then, it’s worth diving into the copious amounts of AR/VR research that Meta Platforms publishes online. Not all of it has clear ties to the company’s product ambitions, but a recently published paper reveals how Reality Labs researchers have progressed toward giving AR glasses users what Chief Scientist Michael Abrash has pitched... Every now and then, it’s worth diving into the copious amounts of AR/VR research that Meta...
The Meta Quest 2 VR headset pictured with its controllers. Photo: Meta Platforms.
Reality Check

Meta’s Hurried Hardware Roadmap

By Mathew Olson · May 2, 2022 11:12am PDT · 1 comment
Today Sylvia Varnham O’Regan and I reported that Meta Platforms plans to release four new headsets by 2024, starting with the mixed reality Cambria device coming later this year. That’s in addition to other bold road maps for upcoming hardware from its Reality Labs division, including a line of smartwatches and plans for AR glasses targeted to... Today Sylvia Varnham O’Regan and I reported that Meta Platforms plans to release four new...
The Pixy drone isn't an AR device, but users can apply Lenses to photos and videos taken with it. Photo: Snap.
Reality Check

The Biggest AR News From Snap’s Annual Summit

By Mathew Olson · Apr 28, 2022 11:00am PDT
Just shy of a year ago, Snap unveiled its developer-only AR Spectacles. Today’s annual Partner Summit demonstrated Snap’s doggedness to keep shipping new features and products, showcasing a slew of announcements focused mainly on mobile AR and shopping. The event was light on updates regarding the Spectacles but CTO and co-founder Bobby Murphy... Just shy of a year ago, Snap unveiled its developer-only AR Spectacles. Today’s annual Partner...
An illustration of what a two-way call could look like using Webex Hologram. Credit: Cisco.
Reality Check

A Look at Cisco’s AR Headset Teleconferencing

By Mathew Olson · Apr 27, 2022 11:00am PDT
Of the many companies looking to use AR or VR tech to improve upon the video conference calls we’ve all grown accustomed to, Cisco’s new approach might have the best chances of catching on. A demonstration for a group of journalists earlier this week showed a technology able to capture and transmit a decent hologram. Given that Cisco already... Of the many companies looking to use AR or VR tech to improve upon the video conference calls we’...
A person wearing the Nreal Air AR glasses. Photo: Nreal.
China’s Nreal Air to Make U.K. Debut; Vive’s Filmmaking Tool
By Mathew Olson · Apr 26, 2022 11:01am PDT
A person wearing the Nreal Air AR glasses. Photo: Nreal.
Reality Check

China’s Nreal Air to Make U.K. Debut; Vive’s Filmmaking Tool

By Mathew Olson · Apr 26, 2022 11:01am PDT
The U.K. is about to become an early adopter’s playground. Yesterday, Chinese AR glasses maker Nreal announced plans to release its Nreal Air AR glasses there later this spring through a partnership with British telecom EE. This will mark the first new market for Nreal Air since it launched across China, Japan and South Korea late last year.The... The U.K. is about to become an early adopter’s playground. Yesterday, Chinese AR glasses maker...
CEO Mark Zuckerberg and a store employee at Meta's new retail flagship. Photo: Meta Platforms.
Reality Check

Meta Tiptoes Into Retail; How Coachella Went Bigger on AR This Year

By Mathew Olson · Apr 25, 2022 11:01am PDT
Meta Platforms may be trying to usher millions into the metaverse, but first it needs to sell more hardware—and so today comes the unveiling of a brick and mortar Meta Store, a place for the company to experiment ahead of a possible wider retail rollout. Opening in Burlingame, California on May 9, the shop nestled in Meta’s Reality Labs campus... Meta Platforms may be trying to usher millions into the metaverse, but first it needs to sell...
Snap CEO Evan Spiegel at Google's Pixel 6 phone event last year. Photo: Bloomberg.
Reality Check

A Big Week Ahead for Snap; Epic Invests More in 3D Scanning

By Mathew Olson · Apr 21, 2022 11:00am PDT
Snap will report its first quarter results later today. As my colleague Kaya Yurieff laid out in her latest Creator Economy newsletter, Snap’s ads strength and the performance of its TikTok clone are the big questions looming over today’s financials, but do also pay close attention to any new AR stats CEO Evan Spiegel touts. They may give an... Snap will report its first quarter results later today. As my colleague Kaya Yurieff laid out in...
A VR catching exercise in NFL Pro Era. Credit: StatusPRO.
Reality Check

Quest’s Sequel Deluge; How the NFL’s First VR Game Will Work

By Mathew Olson · Apr 20, 2022 11:01am PDT
Meta Platforms’ second annual Gaming Showcase for the Quest today may have eased off on the company’s metaverse talk, but it also left VR gamers with little to get excited about. Just as with last year’s showcase, the event’s lineup was still quite small compared to the similar, jam-packed shows that Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony put on every few... Meta Platforms’ second annual Gaming Showcase for the Quest today may have eased off on the...
Hand Physics Lab, a popular hand tracking-based Quest game slated to receive an upgrade. Credit: Holonautic.
Meta’s Improved Hand Tracking Tech; A $35 Million VR Training Raise
By Mathew Olson · Apr 19, 2022 11:00am PDT
Hand Physics Lab, a popular hand tracking-based Quest game slated to receive an upgrade. Credit: Holonautic.
Reality Check

Meta’s Improved Hand Tracking Tech; A $35 Million VR Training Raise

By Mathew Olson · Apr 19, 2022 11:00am PDT
I may as well go straight for the pun here: I have to hand it to Meta Platforms. The hand tracking update it announced today for the Quest headsets looks to be a serious upgrade. For developers, it promises to make controller-free experiences on Quest a lot more usable with little to no extra work required on their end. The better hand tracking... I may as well go straight for the pun here: I have to hand it to Meta Platforms. The hand...
Palmer Luckey at an Oculus event in 2015. Photo: Bloomberg.
Reality Check

Luckey Reflects on a Decade of Oculus; Microsoft’s Kotick Problem

By Mathew Olson · Apr 18, 2022 11:00am PDT
Friday marked the 10-year anniversary of Oculus, the VR headset maker now owned by Meta Platforms. And Oculus founder Palmer Luckey used the occasion to announce plans to write about his time at the helm of the Oculus brand, beginning with the company’s early days of Kickstarter crowdfunding. Given the drama surrounding his departure from the... Friday marked the 10-year anniversary of Oculus, the VR headset maker now owned by Meta...
Rec Room avatars in a camping area. Credit: Rec Room.
Reality Check

Eyeing Rec Room’s 3 Million VR Users; Apple Takes a Shot at Meta’s Fees

By Mathew Olson · Apr 14, 2022 11:00am PDT
Especially after the past year, it wouldn’t be a big week in AR/VR news without an update from Rec Room. Late Wednesday, the company announced that it passed 3 million monthly active VR users after the holidays, triple the figure it reported just over a year ago.Besides Rec Room, one company that should feel pretty good about this number is Meta... Especially after the past year, it wouldn’t be a big week in AR/VR news without an update from...
A person wearing the Ray-Ban Stories smartglasses. Photo: Meta Platforms.
Reality Check

Meta’s Glasses Roadmap; Pico’s Consumer VR Beta; Niantic Introduces Peridot

By Mathew Olson · Apr 13, 2022 11:00am PDT
Meta Platforms is aiming to get its first AR glasses out to consumers in 2024, The Verge reported today. That’s an ambitious target date, given some of the new details about the glasses in the Verge report. And it suggests Meta is pushing against the limits of what many in the industry think is possible or advisable.According to the Verge... Meta Platforms is aiming to get its first AR glasses out to consumers in 2024, The Verge reported...
TikTok CEO and ByteDance CFO Shouzi Chew. Photo: Bloomberg.
TikTok’s AR Tools Go Wide; Meta’s Steep Horizon Creator Fees
By Mathew Olson · Apr 12, 2022 11:00am PDT
TikTok CEO and ByteDance CFO Shouzi Chew. Photo: Bloomberg.
Reality Check

TikTok’s AR Tools Go Wide; Meta’s Steep Horizon Creator Fees

By Mathew Olson · Apr 12, 2022 11:00am PDT
If you’re a TikTok user (and if the platform’s recommendation algorithm deems it so), get ready to see a lot more videos spruced up with AR effects. Today, the ByteDance-owned social video platform has opened up its new AR development app Effect House for all users.First teased in a closed beta last August, Effect House is TikTok’s answer to... If you’re a TikTok user (and if the platform’s recommendation algorithm deems it so), get ready...