When Microsoft unveiled its original HoloLens mixed reality headset in 2016, there was excitement inside and outside the industry about its future prospects. However, after the launch of HoloLens 2 in 2020, subsequent development seems to have been officially put on hold. A new report from Business Insider claims confusion and uncertainty have arisen within the HoloLens team.
According to sources, Microsoft has canceled plans to launch Hololens 3 in mid-2021, and even agreed to cooperate with Samsung to develop a new MR device, which undoubtedly annoyed the HoloLens development team.
What’s even more speechless is that Microsoft is said to be hesitant to give up its own HoloLens display technology, while Samsung’s attitude is that it is best to let Microsoft build its own hardware and software.
Business Insider claims to have spoken to 20 employees on the HoloLens team, and they all cited “depicted confusion and strategic uncertainty,” suggesting that there are factions within the company to discuss the future direction of HoloLens.
One group believes that Microsoft should continue to provide hardware and software support to existing enterprise/military customers, while another group believes that it should focus on the consumer VR software market.
Yet even Microsoft’s chief marketing officer, Chris Capossela, wondered about the prospect of HoloLens, calling it a “rounding error” in the company’s business during an all-hands meeting, and staying more at the level of video pitches.
As for Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the whistleblower revealed that he wants Microsoft to build software for virtual worlds, regardless of which company’s headset hardware — just like the Windows operating system.
Even so, Frank Shaw mentioned in the article – “HoloLens remains an important part of our plans for emerging areas such as MR and the metaverse, and the company remains committed to HoloLens and future development work”.
On the other hand, even Don Box, a former MR technology researcher, and even Dave Reed, a computer vision engineer, left Microsoft and joined Meta.