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As we bid farewell to the year and usher in a fresh start, it’s a perfect opportunity to look back and reflect. I’ve penned some thought-provoking pieces about my experiences in the XR space this past year. If you haven’t yet, I invite you to check them out: the first highlights the myriad XR events I attended, and the second delves into the current state of XR as we head into 2024. Spoiler alert: there’s a mixed bag of positives and challenges. But enough work talk—today’s also about celebrating and cherishing moments with loved ones. Here’s to an incredible 2025 for everyone! 🎉
Top News of the Week
Some Meta Quest Headsets Got Bricked This Christmas
This year’s v72 update for Meta Quest brought some rather unwelcome surprises, leaving several headsets inoperable. Those most impacted hadn’t been updated for some time and needed a hefty cumulative update, only to face a “device corrupt” error on boot-up. The timing couldn’t have been worse, occurring just as headsets filled gift boxes or awaited fun family play during the holidays. Initially slow to respond due to the holiday season, Meta eventually acknowledged the issue. After a flurry of online grievances, they stepped up by not only resolving the update glitch but also assisting affected users, even beyond warranty. They went a step further, offering a free Quest 3S and Horizon Store credits for remaining bricked devices. While Meta’s eventual handling seems commendable, this serves as a reminder of the risks in releasing major updates close to holidays. Clearly, timing and preparedness are crucial in managing tech rollouts to prevent similar scenarios in the future.
Other Relevant News
Pimax Announces Dream Air Compact Headset
It seems Pimax can hardly go a fortnight without unveiling a new gadget. This week, they introduced Dream Air, setting it apart from their typically bulky models known for expansive FOVs. Dream Air targets users craving a lighter experience, aligning with the crowd interested in BigScreen Beyond or MeganeX. Standout features include hand and eye tracking, automatic IPD adjustment, and a novel automatic strap-tightening system, promising an unmatched fit. There’s also an external puck add-on, Cobb, transforming the headset into a partially standalone device, equipped with its battery and Snapdragon XR2 chip.
Significant specs include:
- Display: Dual micro-OLED with full DCI-P3 colors
- Resolution: 13MP per eye, 90Hz max refresh rate
- Optics: Pancake, with 102°H field-of-view
- Tracking: Inside-out, SteamVR optional
- Audio & Input: In-headstrap speakers, Dream Air controllers, hand-tracking
Priced at around $1900 and pegged for mid-2025 release, its shared optical components with Crystal Super give rise to optimism—but as always, skepticism around potential delays remains high.
Pimax’s incessant launch spree has the community divided—some are thrilled while others question the strategy behind such rapid consecutive releases. A fascinating analysis suggests they tailor their releases to the PCVR crowd’s preferences, piling on features and competitive pricing to steal a march on rivals. Despite mixed feelings, the Pimax Crystal Light has emerged as one of the market’s best value-for-money options.
Dream Air might rival MeganeX SuperLight 8K, aiming for clarity and comfort over mere FOV, appealing to a different breed of prosumers. Time will tell how Dream Air and its features hold up. Fingers crossed for an on-time release—stay tuned for updates!
Meta Is Reportedly Adding a Display to Its Ray-Ban Meta Glasses
Ray-Ban Meta has been a standout in the XR realm for 2024, prompting Meta to potentially incorporate a display for on-the-go information like notifications and AI replies. The intriguing part, via a Financial Times piece, suggests Luxottica, Ray-Ban’s parent company, might be on board despite earlier concerns about bulkiness, implying these augmented glasses could hit mainstream fashion distribution channels, upping their game significantly.
New Devices Are Going to Be Announced at CES
CES kicks off next week, promising exciting announcements. My itinerary includes several reveals, such as Sony’s "Create Infinite Realities" keynote on the 6th, DPVR’s teasing of a new gadget, and NVIDIA’s potential RTX 50 series unveiling. With a slew of companies set to display, expect a week brimming with tech thrill. Keep this blog on your radar for exclusive insights from the event!
More on CES announcements from DPVR, Sony, and NVIDIA.
News Worth a Mention
Meta Horizon App’s Download Success
Meta Horizon, essential for configuring Quest headsets, topped download charts in several countries over the holidays for the third year running, indicating robust holiday sales—a positive sign for Meta’s Quest lineup.
Pico’s SecureMR Guarantees Passthrough APIs with Privacy
At a recent event, Pico introduced SecureMR, a solution enabling passthrough analysis while maintaining user privacy. Developers supply an ML model and rendering logic, allowing Pico’s OS to execute the model without accessing camera feeds directly. This groundbreaking approach may appeal to consumers but complicates things for developers who seek complete camera control.
SecureMR is heading into early access soon, but competition remains stiff—if Meta offers full API access next year, Pico’s offering could face challenges.
Learn more about Pico’s announcement.
Magic Leap One’s Imminent Shutdown
Magic Leap planned to shut down servers for the Magic Leap One, rendering the glasses essentially useless. This unfortunate reality leaves many backers with little more than an expensive relic, and it’s disheartening to see so many unique experiences fade away with it.
Read more about Magic Leap’s announcement.
International LiDAR Data Access
Following Tokyo’s example, a variety of countries offer LiDAR data for public use. Though accuracy varies, this data could be a treasure trove for businesses in fields like VPS and digital twins. A viral tweet highlighted available resources across regions like the US, France, and Germany—worth exploring for those interested in spatial data.
Explore LiDAR program links and additional insights.
Road To VR’s Game of the Year Picks
Road To VR has crowned Batman: Arkham Shadow as the top Quest game for the year, with other accolades potentially surprising some readers. It’s always insightful to see which games lead the pack.
Discover more about Road To VR’s selections.
Fanatical’s New VR Games Bundle
Fanatical has unveiled the “Build your own Quest VR Bundle Winter Edition,” offering substantial savings. Choose from an intriguing collection and score 2 games at $17.99, 4 for $34.99, or 7 for a mere $59.99!
Content News
Warpfrog, creators of "Blade & Sorcery," is diving into a fresh project, maintaining their physics-based approach with a new highly moddable game on the horizon.
“Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable” has debuted its complete edition, delighting fans despite tepid reactions from critics.
Meanwhile, “Game Night” appears to be a promising multiplayer title for Quest, blending brainy and physical challenges for party goers.
For more content updates, click here.
Other News
Samsung’s upcoming XR headset will feature Google’s Find My Device function—certainly a handy inclusion.
Meanwhile, an astonishing discovery revealed that Quest’s startup animation isn’t just a mere video; it’s an animated 3D model, adding a quirky element to the device’s charm.
Learn more about these updates.
News from Partners and Friends
Wishing you all happy holidays! With no requests from friends this week, I’ll use this corner to extend heartfelt holiday wishes. Click this link for a touch of festive joy.
Some XR Fun
AI has finally hit a limit, though perhaps not the one you’d expect. Take a look here.
We tech folks sure know how to liven up parties—or, well, something like that. Find out more here.
Explore the best of Meta Horizon Worlds and have a laugh with Pimax’s distinct “original” designs. Read and enjoy here.
Catch the latest uproarious episode of Damo’s newspapers or ponder Zuck’s intriguing evolution—all in a lighthearted manner. Get a chuckle here.
Dream about what many XR pros secretly aspire towards in a clever meme, and for those curious, giving on Patreon apparently signals status in both social and business spheres—whatever that may imply. Unpack the hilarity here.
Donate for Good
Just as last week, I’m advocating for donations not to support this blog but to assist those affected by conflict. Please consider contributing to the Red Cross for aid in Ukraine. You’ll find the link below.
Nonetheless, a huge thank you to all my Patreon supporters for their ongoing encouragement:
[Name List]
And here’s the link for aid:
Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header Image by Pimax)
