In other words, don’t expect anything at all for the next two years, as Microsoft tries to refine HoloLens, and its holographic and mixed reality platform. On the software side, if nothing else.
And that’s because we are hearing it straight from the horse’s mouth.
Proverbially speaking, that is.
You may have heard the name Himax Technologies, here and there. This is the OEM that creates the HoloLens head display. Well, it just happened that the company recently shared some new details with investors in an earnings call earlier this month.
Confirming that there is nothing new coming soon.
In fact, as CEO Jordan Wu put it, even though this is a very exciting area, the development of AR goggles is still a work in progress, as companies continue to test and experiment with their creations:
“People have been studying scanning mirror ever since we got started on this goggle business. But I haven’t seen anything really concrete so far. So I think it’s fair to say that the LCOS remains the leading technology, when it comes to AR devices — AR goggle devices but then I mean don’t expect anything major this year or even next.”
So, basically, we are in a free float mode, for the next couple of years.
Of course, this really does tie into the recent rumors we have been hearing, about the second version of the augmented reality headset being canceled. Intel, too, is about to stop making the processors that power these first versions.
Microsoft HoloLens is on a five-year journey, of sorts, and Redmond is now preparing for HoloLens 3.0 straight, which is now aimed at for a 2019 arrival.
If anything, this earnings call may well be a reflection that Microsoft wants to play the patient game, and wait for better technology rather than just rushing out an iterative second generation. Or even worse, the end product of HoloLens, which we all know could use a lot of work in its current state.
Of course, by then we may even see Apple trying its hands at alternate reality devices, and that could change the dynamics of this really interesting and engaging field by a little.
