Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Microsoft opens the HoloLens doors to developers, companies outside U.S., Canada

Kevin Parrish
By

HoloLens Opinion
Matt Smith/Digital Trends
Microsoft said on Wednesday that it has expanded the opportunity to purchase its HoloLens augmented reality headset to other countries outside the United States/Canada envelope. Developers and businesses interested in obtaining the device can now do so in Australia, France, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Pre-orders begin now by heading here, with devices shipping sometime in late November.

Unlike the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift, Microsoft’s HoloLens mixes virtual with physical by presenting holograms in the wearer’s field of view of the real world, whether it is a hologram of a human body with the meat exposed, a 3D representation of a city, the Martian landscape, or a handful of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards floating in the air. Users can walk around and interact with these virtual objects/landscapes to some degree in the real world.

Recommended Videos

Right now, there is no consumer version of HoloLens, as the company is not sure when the device and its ecosystem will be ready for the masses. Microsoft originally hinted that a consumer model might not even happen, but the growing popularity of the AR headset and what we have seen thus far indicates that there will eventually be a platform accessible by everyone. Heck, anyone can purchase the headset now if they have an extra $3,000 in their pocket.

Related

According to Microsoft, Windows Holographic will be baked into Windows 10 in 2017. This will be a platform for providing mixed reality experiences to all customers through the new operating system and head-mounted displays like HoloLens. These experiences will be based on Microsoft’s Universal Windows Platform that enables apps to run on any Windows 10 device no matter the underlying hardware.

HoloLens was first revealed by Microsoft in January 2015 followed by availability to developers and companies in the United States and Canada at the end of March 2016. After that, Microsoft basically opened the HoloLens doors to everyone in these two territories at the beginning of August. HoloLens is currently served up as a $3,000 Development Edition and a $5,000 Commercial Suite Edition for businesses.

“When we set out to pioneer the mixed-reality category, we knew that many of the best innovations would be discovered when others got their hands on the technology,” said Alex Kipman, technical fellow, Microsoft Windows and Devices Group. “It has been quite inspiring to see what our partners have built and what individual developers have created. Together, we have only scratched the surface for what mixed reality can do. I can’t wait to see what happens next as we welcome these new countries to our holographic landscape.”

This is why we will not see a genuine consumer edition anytime soon: the augmented reality landscape is still forming. We are only seeing just a tidbit of what is capable with the technology, such as Lowe’s Home Improvement using HoloLens to show customers what their purchase decisions will look like in the end. NASA is using HoloLens to discover the secrets of Mars while Case Western Reserve University thinks HoloLens will someday be as common as backpacks and laptops for students.

To see what powers Microsoft’s HoloLens headset, head here. Wednesday’s announcement will only widen the HoloLens ecosystem and hopefully bring a consumer version closer to reality.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Kevin Parrish
Kevin Parrish
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Kevin started taking PCs apart in the 90s when Quake was on the way and his PC lacked the required components. Since then…
Snag a year’s access to Norton’s ‘Secure VPN’ while it’s 75% off
A close-up of a computer monitor displaying a generic VPN.

For one of the best VPN deals today, check out Stack Social which currently has Norton Secure VPN available for just $20 for a one-year subscription instead of the usual price of $80. Protecting up to five devices including all your iOS and Android devices, as well as your laptop or desktop, it’s fantastic value for such strong peace of mind. If you’re in the market for a new VPN, keep reading while we explain why it’s worth buying Norton Secure VPN.

Why you should buy Norton Secure VPN
You won’t see Norton Secure VPN in our look at the best VPNs, but don’t fret as it’s still a major name in the security world featuring prominently in looks at the best antivirus software. With Norton Secure VPN, you get real-time threat protection for up to five of your devices along with online privacy.

Read more
Save $400 on this Razer gaming laptop with an RTX 4060
A game playing on the Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop.

For a gaming laptop that will be able to handle the most demanding games, you're going to want a machine that's as powerful as the Razer Blade 14 with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card. It's understandably expensive, but you can currently get it with a $400 discount from Razer that drops its price to an even $2,000 from $2,400 originally. We're not sure how much time is remaining before this offer ends though, so if you want the savings, you're going to have to complete your purchase as soon as you can.

Why you should buy the Razer Blade 14 gaming laptop
The Razer Blade 14 is capable of challenging the best gaming laptops with the help of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, which offers excellent efficiency and strong ray tracing performance. Combined with the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor and 16GB of RAM that's good for gaming, according to our guide on how much RAM do you need, not only will you be able to play the best PC games without any issues, but you'll also be prepared for the upcoming PC games of the next few years.

Read more
Get this Asus laptop with a year of Microsoft Office for $199
asus vivobook go laptop deal amazon march 2024 lifestyle

You don't need to spend several hundreds of dollars on a new laptop that you'll use as a productivity tool because there are budget-friendly options like the Asus Vivobook Go L510MA. It's actually currently even cheaper from Walmart after an $80 discount, which brings its price down to just $199 from $279 originally. There's no telling how much time is remaining before the offer expires though, so if you want to take advantage of it, you're going to have to proceed with the purchase as soon as possible.

Why you should buy the Asus Vivobook Go L510MA
For a laptop that will be able to handle basic activities like doing online research, building reports, and browsing social media, you can't go wrong with the Asus Vivobook Go L510MA. It's equipped with the Intel Pentium Silver N5030 processor and 4GB of RAM, which are a far cry from the specifications of the best laptops, but it will be enough for simple tasks. The device also comes with a 15.6-inch screen with Full HD resolution, which is pretty large and sharp for its price, but it's still portable as it only weights about 3.5 pounds with a thickness of just 0.72 of an inch.

Read more