The Weekly VR Snapshot (01/29/2025): Google Buys HTC Engineers, Meta Set to Launch Oakley Smartglasses, and More!

Greetings and Happy Lunar New Year to all! As we step into the Year of the Snake, may you find an abundance of joy, prosperity, success, love, and perhaps even a few XR headsets along the way! For those celebrating, I hope you enjoy quality moments with loved ones and, of course, indulge in some delicious feasts! 😊 Juggling countless tasks at the moment, so this newsletter may reach you a tad later and slightly condensed, yet still packed with essential XR updates you won’t want to miss!

Top News of the Week

Google Acquires HTC Vive Engineers for $250M

In a surprising move, Google has shelled out a staggering $250 million to acquire a team of XR engineers from HTC Vive, along with a non-exclusive license for some HTC intellectual property. Google has mentioned that they intend to leverage this talent to speed up the progress of the Android XR platform within the headset and glasses ecosystem. This strategic move provides Google with access to HTC’s seasoned XR professionals, potentially allowing for quicker product development.

It’s not entirely clear whether these engineers will focus on evolving the Android XR platform or building a Google-branded headset like a Pixel device, but my money is on the former. This isn’t Google’s first acquisition from HTC; back in 2017, they bought HTC’s design team for around $1.1 million. Clearly, there’s an ongoing collaboration between the two companies, which points towards Google’s serious investment in XR through Android XR.

However, while Google’s actions are in the spotlight, it raises questions about HTC’s future. This acquisition might indicate that HTC is redirecting its efforts, potentially focusing on creating headsets for third parties instead of its own line. Curious to see how HTC navigates these changes.

For more details, check out Road To VR and Upload VR.

Other Important News

Meta’s Expanding Smartglasses Lineup

Riding on the success of its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, Meta is reportedly ramping up efforts to introduce a wider range of smartglasses. According to Mark Gurman, Meta is partnering with EssilorLuxottica to launch Oakley-branded smartglasses focused on athletes, featuring a central camera and speakers but no display.

Moreover, Meta is developing a premium model that includes a display for notifications, employing touch-sensitive frames or wrist strap controls as possible input methods, echoing the Orion AR glasses prototype. These glasses will cater to a niche, with an expected price of around $1,000.

Meta hasn’t abandoned the Ray-Ban series, planning exciting promotions during the Super Bowl. The company is targeting a developer release for the Orion glasses in 2026, with a market release for a more affordable version, Artemis, in 2027.

Stay updated with Road To VR and Bloomberg.

Meta Continues Work on Quest Pro Successor

Mark Gurman reports that Meta is working on the Quest 4 VR goggles as well as a high-end model which could eventually succeed the Quest Pro mixed-reality headset. The high-end model, possibly codenamed "Puffin," is speculated to be lightweight MR glasses with an external battery. Despite the Quest Pro’s lukewarm reception due to its rushed release, a refined Quest Pro 2 could find its niche, particularly in enterprise markets.

Sneak Peek at Samsung and Google’s Moohan Project

While Samsung’s Unpacked event didn’t unveil anticipated AR glasses, it showcased notable developments. Google’s integration of Gemini AI extends even into Samsung phones, hinting that such advancements aren’t exclusive to Moohan but may enhance all Samsung devices soon. Attendees witnessed the Moohan headset firsthand, with tech influencer Marques Brownlee offering a closer look, revealing inspirations from both Vision Pro and VisionOS.

More insights can be found through MKBHD and Samsung.

Brief Mentions

• Meta Explains Holiday Headset Glitch: Meta’s VP of VR/MR Mark Rabkin clarified a significant issue that affected headsets during the holiday season, attributing the problem to a bug within the Android Open Source Project. Meta has since resolved the bug and informed Google for future prevention.

• CM Games Reaches $3M Revenue with Into The Radius 2: The sequel to Into The Radius, still in early access on Steam, has already grossed $3 million, thanks to the collaborative input from the robust Steam community. CEO Vlad Rannik attributes this success to the community-driven development approach that prepares games for polished releases on platforms like Quest.

• CREAL’s Lightfield Display Gets Tinier: CREAL has made strides in miniaturizing its lightfield tech, bringing it closer to fitting within standard eyewear frames, advancing the realism of AR display systems.

• Quest 3 May Automate Room Scanning: Reports suggest Meta might develop automatic room scanning capabilities for the Quest 3, easing the process for mixed reality users by dynamically adjusting to space changes.

• Explore Future with AI Agents: Pioneer Keiichi Matsuda collaborated with Niantic on a visionary video depicting our potential future with AR and AI agents—a must-watch for AR enthusiasts!

Check out more on these topics through platforms like Project Moohan on Samsung Unpacked and Fitness Fables.

Content Updates

• Fitness Fables merges VR action with fitness and is launching on Quest later this month.
• FlatOut VR promises to incorporate favorite elements from previous FlatOut games.
• Path of Fury: Episode I – Tetsuo’s Tower introduces a Kung-Fu inspired fighting experience on Quest in March.
• Elsewhere Electric, a co-op VR puzzle game, will engage both VR and mobile players and is set for spring/summer.
• The Smurfs – Flower Defense brings classic fun to Quest 3 in May with a VR and MR twist.
• The iconic Crysis can now be enjoyed in VR, thanks to a dedicated mod.

Stay informed on these releases via Rainbow Quest and many more!

Additional News Bits

• According to GDC, 35% of developers are engaging with XR technologies.
• Students and teachers benefit from a 50% discount on Snap Spectacles.
• Vrgamerdude offers a firsthand exploration of the Mudra Link neural bracelet.
• Apple’s new Miami store dedicates space to showcasing Vision Pro.
• An in-depth analysis of MR apps available on Horizon Store has been compiled by Gabriele Romagnoli.
• CaddieVision, AI-powered AR glasses, aim to enhance your golf game experience.

Learn more about these subjects from respective tech blogs.

Notes from Partners and Friends

The SkyClimb multiplayer mode is now freely accessible, providing a fun platform adventure experience with positive reviews on Quest. Check out VRMonkey’s SkyClimb for more immersive enjoyment!

A Touch of XR Humor

• Parenting a VR enthusiast… ah, the challenges!
• Believe it or not, you can play DOOM inside a PDF!
• Sometimes, the best VR upgrade isn’t a tech gadget.
• Exploring the comical side of VR “romantic” adventures.
• The importance of clearing your VR space can’t be overstated!

Engage in these light-hearted XR scenarios through varied content.

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I’d also like to express my gratitude for the continued support from all my wonderful Patreon donors:

• Alex Gonzalez VR
• DeoVR
• GenVR
• [List continues]

And here’s the link to support the Red Cross:

Support The Red Cross in Ukraine

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Share the Innovation

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