Next-generation HoloLens arrives in 2019
If you have been waiting for the cheaper, next-generation of a Microsoft HoloLens, you might want to put your excitement on hold: It is likely that the consumer version of the virtual reality headset will not arrive until 2019 according to a report from Thurrott.com.
The report claims that Microsoft wants to abandon an incremental follow-up headgear in favor of more significant upgrades to the device. That means tech enthusiasts will have to wait much longer than usual before they see a cheaper iteration of the HoloLens.
The long wait is due to a reshuffling in the product roadmap of the software giant. The change would abandon what would have been the second-generation HoloLens in favor of a more advanced third-generation model. Thurrott reports:
By skipping what was version two on their roadmap, the company can accelerate version three which will be closer to a generational leap and help keep Microsoft ahead of the competition. My sources are telling me that this version of Hololens will not arrive until 2019.
Yes, 2019 is a considerable amount of time away but for Microsoft, if they would have built what was known as version two, the company would not be able to get version three delivered by 2019. In short, the company is making a bet that the advancements they are investing in today for the v3 version of Hololens are significant enough and add enough value to the product that it will make sure they continue to lead the segment by getting that device to the market earlier.
Two years would be quite a wait given that Microsoft launched the first version of the HoloLens more than two years ago and shipped the headgear to developers in 2016. Here’s hoping to a third-generation HoloLens that won’t disappoint in terms of size, field of view, battery life, and other key features.
More to the point, the change in Microsoft’s product roadmap reaffirms the company’s commitment to catapult HoloLens to the top spot of the game. Meanwhile, you do not have to wait until 2019 to get your hands on top-of-the-line VR headsets. Other manufacturers including HTC, LG, and ASUS also offer headgears whose quality is on a par with that of the HoloLens.
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