While the VR world waits for the (anticipated) momentous spring launch of the world-scale Oculus Quest, HTC announced (finally) the release of its $800 Vive Focus stand-alone all-in-one VR HMD focused on enterprise. According to BDO, awareness of and intention to use XR is growing. Though implementation lags, new devices and increased simplicity will encourage more pilots across business verticals.
Game of Thrones comes to AT&T stores and Magic Leap in celebration of final season. In celebration of the final season of Game of Thrones, debuting April 14 on HBO, AT&T stores are hosting a fan experience including 360-degree content, games, VR and AR experiences, and exclusive memorabilia. The Game of Thrones experience begins April 1 and coincides with the launch of the Magic Leap One at AT&T stores. The Magic Leap One can be ordered online starting April 5 for $2,295 via monthly financing, and can be found in store at the following locations: Boston (April 1st - Boylston), Chicago (April 3rd - Michigan Avenue) and San Francisco (April 6th - 1 Powell).
Only 5% of companies ready for industry 4.0. In a poll conducted by BDO in December 2018, 230 manufacturing executives were asked about their familiarity with industry 4.0. While 54% of executives are developing an industry 4.0 strategy, only 5% are currently implementing one. For 64%, interoperability with legacy technologies remains the largest barrier to industry 4.0 implementation.
First AR app dedicated to serialized non-fiction goes into beta. Actual Reality, an app created by McClatchy New Ventures Lab, lets users experience non-fiction storytelling from a new perspective. The app, currently available on Android devices, premieres with two experiences: American Food and What They Carried exploring the culture surrounding ethnic cuisine and the stories of undocumented immigrants crossing the Arizona/Mexico border.
Oculus Quest game lineup starts pouring in. After much anticipation, a list of launch titles for the Oculus Quest is emerging. From the free social experiences of Rec Room and VRChat, to Oculus exclusive Robo Recall, to Owlchemy Labs Vacation and Job Simulators the list of 50 games launching with the Oculus Quest this spring continues to impress.
HTC Vive Focus Plus release date announced at Vive Ecosystem Conference in Shenzhen, China. The headset, a standalone 6DoF unit including controllers, 5G Cloud VR capabilities, and the ability to direct connect to beefier hardware such as a gaming PC is set to launch on April 15th on HTC’s Vive website. The system will be available for $800.
"This Week In XR" is written and edited with Michael Eichenseer.
