Editor's Desk, Author at immersed.io

Oculus Connect 4: Oculus Launches Service Bundle for Businesses

Posted by Editor's Desk | Oculus Connect

There have been several big announcements resulting from Oculus Connect 4 (OC4) including a new headset - Oculus Go, a new permanent lower price for the Oculus Rift, a shipment date for the long-awaited Oculus Santa Cruz developer kits, the launch of Oculus Dash, and more. However one of the most exciting pieces of news coming from the OC4 conference today was the launch of Oculus for Business, a new program aimed at small and medium-sized business. Some of the program benefits for SMBs includes a special Oculus Rift bundle featuring: Oculus Rift Headset Touch Controllers 3 x Sensors Remote 3...

Google To Acquire HTC’s Phone Unit for $1.1B; Vive VR Business Stays with HTC

Posted by Editor's Desk | Virtual Reality

Today it was announced that Google will spend $1.1 billion to acquire HTC's phone unit, expand its hardware engineering teams with HTC employees, and acquire non-exclusive intellectual property rights. What HTC is not Selling Early this month, Bloomberg reported that HTC Corp. was reported to be exploring strategic options, including spinning off its VR business unit. Shortly after the rumors, HTC confirmed that it was not selling its unit, but instead focusing on growing the Vive business unit. Consequences of the Deal There are several likely consequences of the announced deal. Google expands key employees by hiring around 2,000 HTC employees...

Apple Expected to Launch iPhone 8 on September 12th

Posted by Editor's Desk | Augmented Reality, Technology

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Apple will announce the iPhone 8 at a special product event on September 12th. The publication quotes anonymous sources who say that the company will announce three new iPhones – updated versions of the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus released last year and a new tenth anniversary iPhone – as well as a new Apple Watch with wireless capabilities. The iPhone 8 is expected to cost upwards of $1,000, but will have OLED screens, augmented reality features and wireless charging. Additionally, the new phone is expected to support an ever increasing library...

Samsung Patents New AR Head-Mounted Display Design

Posted by Editor's Desk | Augmented Reality, Technology

Samsung, the world's largest the world's largest semiconductor chipmaker in the world, is rarely mentioned alongside Microsoft, Google, and Facebook - companies preparing to battle for head-mounted AR display market share. This is likely to soon change. According to a new report on SlashGear, Samsung revealed headset plans for a “holographic see-through optical device.” This is not the first glasses or “glass” that we’ve seen from Samsung, but it is the first that makes augmented reality and holograms a part of its main objective. In Spring of 2014, Samsung patented a device not unlike Google Glass. In December of 2016, a Samsung AR headset was teased....

Holovis Releases New VR Coaster Technology

Posted by Editor's Desk | Technology, Virtual Reality

Last month at the Asian Attractions Expo in Singapore, UK-based Holovis showed off its rideable real-time robot experience (R3ex) project. R3ex combines four/six-axis robot arm amusement ride technology with tailored VR experiences. Holovis claims its R3ex project offers users a level of superior interactivity, giving them ‘complete agency’ over the experience. This includes real-time control of the motion profile. R3ex is an alternative/supplement to the VR-enhanced roller coaster. While it cannot replicate a roller coaster's sense of acceleration, R3ex has several advantages. First, as Holovis stated, is the greater degree of control. It is not possible to change which way a roller coaster moves, whereas the robotic arm's path...