If there’s one constant in the AR headsets currently available, it’s that for a quality experience they will come with a hefty price tag. Price is one of the reasons why these devices are mainly marketed to business customers for now.
And that’s the case with HoloLens 2, which is generally regarded as the best on the market right now. Now Microsoft has taken a step to pitch its AR solution for specific use cases with a variation on the device.
But Microsoft hasn’t even put the high water mark on prices for AR headsets. That badge goes to Canon’s Mreal S1
Meanwhile, we can assume it won’t come cheap either, as the latest reports on Apple’s AR / VR headset and its components surfaced.
In other AR news, Blippar launched a major AR ad campaign with beverage brand Corona.
Microsoft is committed to cleanroom operations with industrial HoloLens 2
Ever since the US military awarded Microsoft’s HoloLens a $ 480 million contract, the battle for augmented reality for businesses has heated up in earnest.
Now, the technology giant in Redmond, Washington, is looking to tighten its grip on the burgeoning AR business space by introducing the HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition.
Read on to learn more about how Microsoft is targeting pharmaceutical and semiconductor cleanrooms with the new variant of HoloLens 2 …
REALITY BITES: While Microsoft, Magic Leap, and other AR headset manufacturers, as well as companies building software for those devices, have pitched AR solutions for use in surgical suites, Phillips has developed a headset-free option. The ClarifEye Augmented Reality Surgical Navigation combines the Azurion imaging platform with four high-resolution cameras to assist surgeons in performing spinal procedures and a live 3D view of the patient’s anatomy.
Canon breaks the bank with MREAL S1
You just ‘thought’ that the HoloLens 2 was the most expensive augmented reality device on the market.
As with many things in the tech field, Japan is here to raise the bar with what is arguably the most expensive AR wearable we’ve ever seen: the Canon MREAL S1.
How much is it? Keep reading to find out what the MREAL gives users for all that extra cheddar …
REALITY BITES: Facebook’s Project Aria smartglasses may have passed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The filing was filed by Gnome Farn, LLC and signed by Carrie Tillman, CEO of CSC Global, a registered agent specializing in corporate records, among other services, so the filing can be for anyone. However, a diagram of the device’s temple with the FCC label resembles the renderings previously revealed by Facebook Reality Labs. Although Facebook says the device is not intended as a consumer product, but rather as a research device to experiment with building AR apps, the company would still require FCC certification for connectivity.
Apple reportedly will launch AR / VR headset with 8k displays and LiDAR in early 2022
Rumors of Apple’s not-so-secret development of an AR / VR headset have been circulating throughout the young year, but the latest batch of reports sheds a clearer picture of speculation about the device.
The latest leaks give us not only specifications, but also the rendering of an artist based on leaked photos of the headset, as well as a possible timeline for release by analysts based on reports from suppliers.
Read on to find out what to expect from the Apple AR / VR headset, what it looks like, and when we might get our hands on it …
REALITY BITES: The latest company to increase sales while consumers socially distanced themselves during the pandemic is Vertebrae. The web-based AR ad company closed triple sales of its books in 2020. In addition, Vertebrae reported a 150% increase in customer acquisitions and deployed 50% more AR and 3D activations for their customers. Customers have enjoyed reporting “up to 112% conversion increase and 106% increase in revenue per visit” from Vertebrae’s AR ads.
Blippar runs AR ad campaign for Corona Hard Seltzer
Despite Corona beer’s unfortunate social media-fueled association with the virus behind a global pandemic, beverage maker Constellation Brands has pushed its marketing like a lime through the mouth of a beer bottle.
The brand’s latest effort leverages an AR experience to entice drinkers with the Corona Hard Seltzer line of “spike sparkling water.”
Read on to learn more about Blippar’s AR experience and how the revived AR company is optimistic about its prospects to drive more revenue from the food and beverage industry …


Every Friday, Next Reality reviews the latest headlines on the financial side of augmented and mixed reality. This weekly Market Reality column covers financing announcements, mergers and acquisitions, market analysis and the like. Check out previous editions of Market Reality for more news you may have missed.
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