In the smartphone market, whether it is in hardware products or operating systems, Microsoft suffered a fiasco. Closing the business is considered to be a matter of time. Microsoft has invested heavily in the development of augmented reality technology (AR). According to the latest news from foreign media, an inventor of Microsoft HoloLens said recently that the smartphone has died and the future will be the world of helmets.
According to the US technology news website TheVerge, Microsoft technology executives who made this statement are Alex Kipman, who is considered to be the main inventor of the HoloLens augmented reality helmet and the game motion controller Kinect.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Kimpman said, "The smartphone is dead, people just don't realize it."
Kipman believes that augmented reality helmets such as HoloLens will replace mobile phones in the future, but he did not give a timetable for replacement.
Kimpman’s bold remarks also show that Microsoft values ​​the augmented reality market and believes that helmets will become a popular electronic product.
In reality, however, Kimpman's remarks may be too optimistic, with Microsoft's augmented reality project making slow progress, and the launch of the consumer version of the augmented reality helmet, nowhere in sight.
Two years ago, Microsoft began to develop the HoloLens helmet. Since then, it has been demonstrated on various occasions such as the Windows 10 conference, and has been well received by the media. Microsoft is also seen as a leader in enhanced display.
Then Microsoft began selling the first generation of HoloLens helmets for developers, priced at an astonishing $3,000. According to reports, the sales of HoloLens development helmets are low, mainly because the pricing is too high. Developers' enthusiasm for purchasing will not directly affect the development of related application functions.
It has been more than a year since HoloLens demonstrated and sold the development helmets. Today, Microsoft has not announced the timetable and when it will be able to launch a consumer version of the helmet. According to a recent foreign media report, because of the obvious technical advantages in the AR field, Microsoft is continuing to develop a follow-up version of the HoloLens helmet in a "slow workmanship" manner, in which Microsoft will not launch a second-generation helmet in 2018. Instead, the second generation of helmets was introduced in 2019.
Obviously, Microsoft's slow development plan is in stark contrast to the competition and activity of the virtual reality market. Whether Microsoft can continue to maintain its technology leadership is questionable.
In the field of enhanced display, many giants have "wake up." At the recent development conference, Facebook boss Zuckerberg blew the horn for augmented reality, and the past virtual reality business was rather cold. In fact, in the VR market, Oculus acquired by Facebook has become a laggard, and the situation is very dangerous.
In addition, Apple official has also confirmed that it has entered the field of enhanced display, but Apple did not disclose what kind of helmet products are specifically developed. According to reports, Apple is developing an augmented reality glasses for use with mobile phones, and it is even possible to demonstrate at this fall conference.
Virtual reality and augmented reality are very different. In fact, VR is now in a cloud of suspicion. HTC, Oculus and Sony's external helmets (need to connect to external computers or game consoles) have sold less than two million in the first year. The overall cost of more than $2,000 makes VR a niche market. In addition, many manufacturers introduced a cheap "plug-in mobile phone helmet", the user experience is inferior, and even use the surround video to disguise as VR to deceive consumers.
AR belongs to superimposing virtual information on real scenes and is considered to be more practical. For example, relying on AR technology, the user only needs to shoot a tree, and the related software can immediately recognize and display various introduction information of the tree on the photo.
In addition to HoloLens, another Magic Leap company that has gained more than a billion dollars in venture capital is also developing AR helmets, but the company is currently facing technical difficulties and is being attacked with special effects video "performance" products to deceive investors. Whether Magic Leap can introduce revolutionary AR technology is still worthy of attention.
The remark that "the smartphone is dead" is ironic for Microsoft. According to reports, in the first quarter, Microsoft's mobile phone sales revenue was only 5 million US dollars. There is no sense of existence in the global mobile phone market. It is shocking that such an inefficient business, Microsoft has not officially announced the closure of the department to this day. Its "big business disease" can be seen.
Portable energy storage power Stastion
SHENZHEN CHONDEKUAI TECHNOLOGY CO.LTD , https://www.szfourinone.com