The world of extended reality (XR) claims a new victim: Microsoft announces abandonment of its most ambitious project in years, the HoloLens 2 augmented reality (AR) glassesand also announces that there will be no substitute. The device that many called “the most exciting thing for the world of technology” has died.
I still remember the presentation of the original HoloLens in 2015. Everyone was amazed by what Microsoft had shown, even though it was just fireworks in a very well designed presentation but it was as real as Iron Man’s suit made from nanobots. Even people I would never have called tech “geeks” told me in the following days what had appeared in all the news and newspapers. Personally, as a pure science specialist, I tend to be very skeptical of these fireworks, but the truth is that the presentation was impressive. If Microsoft managed to make it a real product, it would be a real revolution. The HoloLens 1 was followed by the HoloLens 2… but what followed these latest glasses were more and more rumors of project cancellation, layoffs and not at all optimistic news about the future of this division of Microsoft, which ended up being confirmed by the advertising that the brand itself carried out.
Users who wish to do so will be able to continue purchasing the HoloLens 2 as long as there is stock, andSecurity updates will continue to arrive until 2027starting in 2028, when glasses support will be completely abandoned. In the case of the original model, the HoloLens 1, support from Microsoft will end at the end of this year. Microsoft will continue to collaborate with Meta in the development of the Quest, bringing its applications and services to Facebook Glasses. And science fiction films are perfect for the cinema or for a Sunday afternoon at home, but the reality of the technological world is much harsher.
