It's been a long time since we've written about the pioneering Samsung Gear mobile VR HMD. Probably because they were stinky and ended up in a drawer. They also introduced millions to VR. We've come a long way, baby. Mobile phones are more powerful than ever, as illustrated by Google's brilliant new AR enhancement of its indispensable maps, available on most new handsets. Lots of other news this week, although it is the second week of August. Shouldn't you guys be at the beach? Speaking of which, our summer read of Blake Harris' brilliant The History of the Future, is a masterful telling of the Oculus story, which continues today. Only a brilliant writer like Harris (author of Console Wars, also recommended), could take a sprawling story filled with unforgettable characters, and make it read like a novel. And it's hard to write a book. Really, really hard. He says it took three years.
Google Maps AR directions land on more phones. The new Live View feature, which shows AR arrows pointing where to go, was previously available for limited users and Pixel owners. Now most major handsets have the new feature. Next time you’re walking through town hold up your phone and let Google Maps show you the way!
First introduced in 2015, Samsung's mobile VR HMD gave millions of people their first taste of VR.
Samsung’s newest phones no longer support GearVR. Or, as our friend Antony “Skarred Ghost” Vitillo put so well, “Gear VR is dead.” At one time GearVR was the best selling VR headset, providing a foothold for the budding VR industry. With standalone headsets like Oculus Go and now the Quest, the Gear no longer makes much sense. Samsung isn’t done with VR yet as rumors of an upcoming Snapdragon 855 powered hybrid standalone headset are on the rise.
Real holograms? Sign us up!
Light Field Lab raises $28 Million Series A. Light Field Lab will be continuing their work on holographic displays with this newest injection of funds. The company’s current work is focused on large format displays pumping out hundreds of gigapixels for realistic 3D images. These large format displays are targeted at location based venues, but the company has their sights set on a future consumer market. Creating convincing 3D imagery without a headset is big business.
UCLA study finds VR surgical training 130% more effective than traditional methods. Two groups of 10 participants each trained using either Osso VR’s training solution, or traditional technique guides. The 20 participants then conducted a procedure on an artificial bone and were evaluated. In every category the Osso VR trained participants performed better. While the study is quite small and conducted on a specific procedure, the results are promising for further VR surgical trainings. Good news for scrappy Osso and its CEO, pediatric surgeon Justin Barad.
Within launches 4th augmented reality reading adventure “Clio’s Quest”. The new interactive educational AR experience is available via Within’s Wonderscope app. The app’s catalog now includes 4 “read aloud, interactive adventures, which allow children to converse with characters and play an active role in the narrative.” You can find Wonderscope for free in the app store, and Clio’s Quest at $0.99 for a limited time.
MixCast now integrates with SpringboardVR and SynthesisVR. MixCast allows mixed reality capture inside VR games so players can broadcast their real selves inside the games they play. The integration with VR arcade platforms is MixCast Photobooth. MixCast Photobooth lets players take pictures of themselves inside the games they are playing, adding a social aspect to the sometimes isolating VR arcade experience.
Free roam VR at its finest. Outside the illusion they're wearing backpack PCs, inside they are ... [+]
Nomadic expanding to Asia with new South Korea installation. The location based VR company will open its doors in late August inside the CGV Gangbyeon multiplex. Nomadic’s take on location based VR is something they call ‘4DX’, or a tactile experience. Players not only see the virtual world, they can reach out and touch it.
InflightVR closes €4Million round to further travel industry VR entertainment. The company has eight customers so far in the transportation industry who provide their travelers with VR entertainment via InflightVR’s platform. Passenger feedback over InflightVR’s first year in operation has been very positive. But it doesn’t take much to make a long plane ride more enjoyable.
This Week In XR is written and edited with Michael Eichenseer.
