Ever since Microsoft announced earlier this year that it would be opening up its Windows Holographic platform to other device makers, the company has been an intriguing presence in the world of virtual and augmented reality (or “mixed reality,” as it’s fond of saying). After all, Microsoft could offer some healthy competition to the likes of Oculus and HTC, which launched their own VR headsets and platforms this year. Today at the WinHEC conference in Shenzen, the company is finally giving us a clearer sense of how it plans to bring mixed reality to more consumers.
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As for HoloLens itself, Kipman says Microsoft is working on making it available in China. The company has just submitted the headset for government approval, and he has “every expectation” that Chinese consumers will be able to get their hands on it in the first half of 2017. Perhaps more interesting than the HoloLens itself, though, is seeing how other companies remix the technology in different ways. Back in June, Microsoft’s Windows and Devices group head Terry Myerson told us a consumer version of HoloLens “may come from us, or it may come from a partner, and either way that’s fantastic.”
Microsoft and Intel are also partnering on “Project Evo,” an initiative to bring together their many PC offerings to deliver systems that will support things like 4K gaming, far-field microphones, smooth mixed-reality experiences and security features like Windows Hello. It all sounds pretty amorphous — haven’t they been trying to build these things into PCs for a while? — but hopefully it could lead to more fully featured PCs of all shapes and sizes. Most intriguingly, Intel also plans to have its integrated HD Graphics chipsets supporting mixed reality by the end of next year, according to its consumer head Navin Shenoy. That means we could see mid-range VR-ready laptops sometime in 2017.
Source: Engadget