From the Elvis ’68 Comeback Special to Stop Making Sense to Taylor Swift: the Eras Tour, musical concert films have long been a way for artists to reach new and existing audiences in a compelling, immersive way. Now that VR has taken hold of concert broadcasting and delivered inspired shows from the likes of Foo Fighters, Doja Cat, and, most recently, Avenged Sevenfold. Los Angeles-based AmazeVR has produced a 26-minute Avenged Sevenfold VR concert experience featuring the band’s songs Mattel, Hail to the King, Interlude – (D)eath, Nightmare, and Nobody. ‘Looking Inside’ promises to bring fans ..read more

Arguably the most anticipated VR/AR hardware release in recent years, Apple Vision Pro finally launched in the USA on February 2nd. The reception to Apple’s debut “spatial computing device” was largely positive. There was one camp, however, that was borderline irate about what they saw as a major shortcoming of Apple Vision Pro: no VR porn. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was consistent in his opposition to porn being viewed on Apple devices. [Image: Apple] Apple has long maintained that their devices should not be used for adult entertainment, with co-founder Steve Jobs famously saying “folks who ..read more

Spatial computing took over CES 2024 with smart glasses, headsets, and even desktop displays capturing the attention of attendees and media. Smart glasses with AR/XR/VR functionality were clearly the hot commodity in the virtual space, with a number of exciting prototypes and products on display. Glasses Galore Xreal Air 2 Ultra smart glasses were showcased at CES 2024. [Image: Xreal] One CES ’24 standout was the Xreal Air 2 Ultra smart glasses, available for pre-order now. Compatible with Samsung Galaxy S22 or S23, Air 2 Ultra features advanced capabilities like hand and head tracking, 6 DoF ..read more

Mice have made enormous contributions to human evolution. Peaceful coexistence with humankind aside, science has used mice to help develop many incredibly significant innovations like the polio vaccine, monoclonal antibodies, cancer treatments, and a plethora of social, cognitive, and behavioral studies. It now seems mice can add another field of utility to their repertoire: virtual reality. Previous attempts to engage mice with virtual environments have proven difficult and were more akin to a human watching television than a human using VR. Mice were able to perceive virtual elements in thei ..read more

When Apple finally unveiled its debut mixed reality device, Apple Vision Pro, in early June 2023, many VR/AR/MR/XR hardware developers saw it as a challenge. If Apple was aiming for market dominance and an elite user experience, what would need to be created to equal or better this for another company. Two tech giants in particular have collaborated on a device that some industry pundits are already calling a potential “Apple killer.” Infinite to Arrive in 2024 Chinese outlet VRTUOLUO leaked an image of what is allegedly the XR device Samsung and Google are collaborating on. [Image: VRTUOLUO ..read more

Officially announced back in early June 2023, Meta Quest 3 promised to be not only a worthy successor to the mega-selling Meta Quest 2 but also a powerful counterpart to the recently released Meat Quest Pro and a potential challenger to Apple’s first foray into VR/MR hardware, Apple Vision Pro. With both Quest Pro and Apple Vision Pro priced well above $1,000 USD, Meta has made sure to offer forward-thinking VR users a more affordable option. The Nuts and Bolts of Quest 3 A peek at the inner workings of Meta Quest 3. [Image: iFixit] With units now available for purchase at $499.99 USD, Meta Qu ..read more

A report from Korean news outlet Maeil Business Newspaper strongly points to Meta joining forces with LG in the development of a successor to Meta Quest Pro. Suggesting a potential 2025 release, the report also states that Meta is looking at a $2,000 USD retail price for what may be called Meta Quest Pro 4, which will feature LG displays as well as components from LG subsidiaries. Also noted was the likelihood of a new budget Quest device costing around $200. A New Partner for Meta Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest 3 may soon be joined by a budget-priced successor. [Image: Meta] Whether or not the m ..read more

For MMA fans who just can’t get enough powerful fight action, there’s no longer a need to feel disappointed that you can’t physically attend every single bout you’d like to. Meta partnered with UFC in late 2022 to bring UFC fights to virtual reality, but November 2023 is when things will really kick off. Fights with Impact Xtadium is already providing fight fans with immersive VR experiences alongside other popular sports. [Image: Xtadium] UFC and Meta will broadcast select fights via Horizon Worlds after a series of successful trial runs. Viewers can immerse themselves in some of the most int ..read more

The big reveal at Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference (WWDC) this year was the long awaited, hotly anticipated debut VR/AR device from the Cupertino tech giant. Apple Vision Pro brings many advanced features to the VR/AR marketplace and, as is usually the case with Apple products, sports a sleek, expertly crafted design that focuses on ease of use, a gentle elegance, and naturalistic feel. A New Era for Apple Apple’s annual WWDC wouldn’t be complete without “one more thing.” This year that thing was Apple Vision Pro. [Image: Apple] Among the impressive features that will be part of Apple ..read more

After much anticipation – and with Apple almost beating them to the punch – Meta finally announced its latest device, Meta Quest 3, on June 1, 2023. Here’s a quick rundown of all the most significant news concerning this next-gen VR/MR device. Meta hasn’t revealed everything about the forthcoming device, but what it has revealed should rouse the appetites of those eager to see VR and MR merge into one technology. With a similar design style to that of Quest 2, Quest 3 may not seem revolutionary at first. Dig a little deeper – or just note the three front-facing external cameras – and it should ..read more