Skip to main content

Microsoft elaborates on HoloLens pre-order process

Since the project was unveiled at an event in January 2015, Microsoft hasn’t been shy about wheeling out its Hololens tech for demonstrations at major industry events. There’s a great demand for the device, which currently seems to be the company’s answer to VR efforts being developed by some of its rivals — but there are still plenty of questions about how developers can actually get their hands on the headset.

Today, there’s new clarification offered up by an administrator patrolling the Windows Holographic Developer Forum, according to a report from WinBeta. Apparently, developers are being invited to purchase the device in waves to help manage the high demand.

Recommended Videos

To begin the process, developers will need to apply for the HoloLens Development Edition. Once they’re approved, they’ll receive a confirmation email that includes their wave number, and each of the numbered waves will be served during a window of two to three months. When a user’s wave comes around, they’ll receive another email inviting them to make a purchase.

It’s being recommended that successful applicants order their device during the first week it’s available to them. This isn’t to say that the windows closes after seven days, but orders made after that time will be fulfilled subject to availability.

There’s also a note to anyone waiting patiently and hoping to be among the first wave of developers to receive the hardware. As of the time of writing, most of the users set to be a part of the first wave have not received confirmation, so there’s still a good chance that you can get on board if you applied early enough.

Details on the pre-order process for the HoloLens Development Edition were released in February. The first wave of headsets will be distributed to developers on March 30, carrying the hefty price tag of $3,000.

Brad Jones
Brad is an English-born writer currently splitting his time between Edinburgh and Pennsylvania. You can find him on Twitter…
Google confirms merging Chrome OS and Android into one platform
Google Chrome app on s8 screen.

Why it matters: Google's push to blend Chrome OS and Android could supercharge affordable laptops like Chromebooks, making them more versatile for work and play. This move echoes Apple's seamless ecosystem across iPadOS and macOS, potentially shaking up the PC market where Windows dominates but innovation lags.

What's happening: In a bombshell interview, Google's Android ecosystem president Sameer Samat outright confirmed the company is "combining Chrome OS and Android into a single platform. This follows months of rumors and aligns with Android 16's new desktop-friendly features, like proper windowing and external display support. But then Samat later clarified on X that it's not a full-on merger killing Chrome OS; instead, it's about weaving Android's tech stack deeper into Chrome for better app compatibility and hardware efficiency.

Read more
WeTransfer backlash highlights need for smarter AI practices
A pair of hands using a keyboard on a laptop.

A recent update to WeTransfer’s terms of service caused consternation after some of its customers feared that it meant content from files uploaded to the popular file-sharing service would automatically be used to train AI models.

But the Netherlands-based company insisted on Tuesday that this is not the case, saying in a statement that it "does not sell user content to third parties,” and nor does it "use AI in connection with customer content.”

Read more
Uber shifts gear in the robotaxi race
Uber app.

Uber has inked a deal with Chinese tech giant Baidu to add “thousands” of its robotaxis to the American company’s ride-hailing app.

Baidu has been testing its Apollo Go robotaxis in several Chinese cities since 2019. But the partnership with Uber will involve Apollo Go ride-hailing services outside of China and the U.S., with the first deployments expected in parts of Asia and the Middle East later this year.

Read more