XR Weekly Snapshot (2024.11.12): Surge in Smartglasses Popularity, Meta Reduces Game Funding, and More!

Just as the chill of the season creeps in, signaling the end of China’s Singles’ Day festivities (and a cheerful nod to all who partake), let’s cozy up with a warm beverage and dive into this week’s exciting XR highlights.

This Week’s Top Highlights

The Smartglasses Buzz Continues

The wave of enthusiasm around smartglasses is far from subsiding. Following the success of Ray-Ban Meta, several tech giants are keen on exploring this promising frontier. A fresh report from Mark Gurman unveils that Apple is gearing up to rival Ray-Ban Meta with its smartglasses, set for a 2027 release. Speculations suggest these glasses will be capable of environmental awareness, hinting at AI integration. Apple entering this space could be fascinating. With Meta allying with fashion through Luxottica, Apple’s inherent brand appeal might turn others envious. Meanwhile, Samsung and Google aren’t far behind, and there’s buzz that Baidu, China’s answer to Google, plans to reveal its smartglasses with impressive features at an event in Shanghai. Concurrently, Meta is bolstering the Ray-Ban Meta line, launching pop-up stores in Los Angeles and soon in Phoenix, presenting them as trendy and gamifying the shopping experience with various events. Are smartglasses here to stay, or are we riding just another fleeting trend? Only time will tell…

For more details, read about Apple’s smartglasses endeavors, Baidu’s impending launch, and Meta’s pop-up stores.

Other Noteworthy Developments

Meta’s Shift in Strategy: A Focus Beyond Gaming

A report from The Information suggests a strategic shift at Meta, with funding now prioritizing non-gaming lifestyle content over gaming. This pivot has led to funding cuts for partners focused on gaming, resulting in significant layoffs at studios like Monks and Atlas V. This is understandably distressing for those studios, thrust into a difficult situation without the promised support. From a strategic perspective, Meta’s approach makes sense; to transcend gaming and aim for everyday relevance, echoing more of a next-gen smartphone focus than a gaming console.

Learn more about Meta’s evolving strategy.

Noteworthy Mentions

DIY AR Glasses Innovation

Miroslav Kotalík went the unconventional route, creating his own AR glasses, charmingly named Zero, with a Raspberry Pi Zero as its brain. The gadget currently handles basic media tasks, with plans for a more advanced version in the works. If you’re curious about his journey, check out his updates on social media.

Discover more about Miroslav’s project on Reddit and Tom’s Hardware.

Apple Expands Vision Pro’s Horizons with Panoramic Displays

Apple’s latest VisionOS beta introduces a panoramic display functionality, transforming your Vision Pro into an ultra-wide virtual workspace. The feature mimics having dual 4K monitors—a boon for productivity—and has been met with enthusiastic first impressions, despite some software limitations on Mac’s side.

Find out more from Road To VR and Upload VR.

LIV’s Game-Changing Creator Kit for Quest

LIV has unveiled a Unity SDK for developers to integrate VR content capture capabilities on Quest, offering users a seamless way to record gameplay footage without additional hardware. This innovation promises to empower both game creators and users aiming for viral content.

Explore further details.

EgoTouch’s Breakthrough in Haptic Interaction

EgoTouch offers an intuitive interface to use your hand as a touchscreen, distinguishing between simple touch and pressure—a step forward in realistic haptic feedback.

Uncover more insights.

Osmo’s Scent "Teleportation"

Pioneering the digital scent frontier, Osmo claims to have achieved “scent teleportation” by recreating aromas remotely. Though currently limited in speed and range, the implications for virtual reality and beyond are tantalizing.

Dive deeper into their innovation.

PS Store Sales Alert

PlayStation enthusiasts, there’s an ongoing sale with hefty discounts on PSVR 2 titles, some slashed by up to 40%. It’s a great opportunity to expand your game collection.

Learn more about the sale.

Metro Awakening Takes the Spotlight

Following Batman: Arkham Shadow, Metro Awakening has captured the community’s attention with its immersive environment. Despite some gameplay hitches, it offers a captivating experience, with updates focusing on accessibility, such as removing arachnophobia triggers.

Read detailed reviews from Road To VR and Upload VR.

Djay’s Entry into the Meta Quest Universe

The popular DJ app djay has now made a leap into Meta Quest. It brings the clubbing experience home, with compatibility for existing DJ gear. This integration offers a dynamic space for music creation.

Explore more about djay on Meta Quest.

Exciting New Content on the Horizon

A collection of new games and experiences are making their way to the VR world: Alien: Rogue Incursion’s Quest delay, Human Within’s interactive journey set for release, and Vivarium’s unique virtual ecosystem experience. Keep an eye out for Wall Town Wonders’ upcoming Quest 3 launch and the much-anticipated Squingle update.

For more information on upcoming releases, click here.

Content Reviews

Discover insights on recent releases from Human Fall Flat VR’s chaotic fun to Underworld Overseer’s dungeon management. While Dumb Ways: Free for All brings humor, Living Room brings charming simplicity with room for growth.

Catch more review highlights from the latest VR titles.

Additional Updates

Stay informed with Photon’s new multiplayer collaboration sample, a growing petition for WMR’s open source, and leadership changes with Julie Smithson at the helm of METAVRSE.

Learn more about these updates here.

Community Partners’ Highlights

Come visit the MatchXR event in Helsinki on November 19th, showcasing Nordic XR talent. Or, if geographically feasible, drop by DeoVR’s jam in Ljubljana on November 13th, an event dedicated to showcasing the latest VR technologies.

Find out more about MatchXR and DeoVR’s VR Jam.

No sponsors to mention this week, just a moment to savor life. Have fun exploring these XR tidbits.

A Dose of XR Humor

Unwind with a few laughs at the expense of XR development quirks and gamer stereotypes through the following links. From humorous development shortcuts to unexpected VR uses, there’s plenty to chuckle about.

Funny links await you.

Join a Cause for Good

Just like last week, my parting words this week are a heartfelt appeal to support those affected by war’s harsh realities. Consider donating to the Red Cross to aid the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. A special thank you goes out to my dedicated Patreon supporters that keep this platform thriving:

[List of Patreon Supporters]

And here’s how you can help the Red Cross in Ukraine.

(Header image by Miroslav Kotalík)