CGMagazine
Pedro D'Avila

For a while now, the goal of Technology has been to create as realistic of an experience as possible. Microsoft provided something similar to the company’s original Hololens, and now it has unveiled its successor – despite the rather high price tag, Microsoft has managed to improve the tech in almost every way.

Improved from its first generation is the inclusion of a new time of flight depth sensor, which allows for the device to track the user’s hands without accessories, ultimately delivering an experience comparable to that of a smartphone.

“You can use a single finger, or an entire fist”

As phrased by Engadget, during a live presentation “a Microsoft employee yanked various applications in 3D space, including a virtual piano and Microsoft Teams — the company’s take on Slack and Facebook Workplace. You can use a single finger, or an entire fist to punch buttons and other interface elements in mid-air — it doesn’t really matter because none of these elements have any actual weight.” Showing the lengths of this new time of flight technology.

Priced at $2295, the HoloLens 2 shares the same soaring flaw as its predecessor: it is simply too expensive for everyday consumers to get their hands on. With that being a reality (no puns intended), it becomes increasingly difficult for some to consider investing in Microsoft’s AR platform, regardless of how groundbreaking it may be. But as with the first iteration of the technology, HoloLens 2 is built for the business and development world first and foremost. It may be a while before we see a consumer level of the technology, although every iteration Microsoft brings you to market, brings the dream of an AR household closer to reality.

The HoloLens is slated for a launch “later this year” and will utilise third party software such as Dynamics 365 in order to help developers diagnose and manage their creations.

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