What just happened? During a recent speaking engagement at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Executive Vice President of Artificial Intelligence & Research at Microsoft, Harry Shum, said the HoloLens 2 headset would go on sale sometime in September. As we learned earlier this year, however, it won't come cheap.
Microsoft's second-generation HoloLens augmented reality headset broke cover early this year at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona but the tech giant conveniently didn't mention when the device would go on sale. Now, we've got a rough time frame to go on.
When announced at MWC, Microsoft revealed that the new headset would be more comfortable to wear thanks to reduced weight, improved adjustment options and vapor chamber technology that helps reduce heat buildup. The unit should also feel more immersive, offering twice the field of view compared to its predecessor. Microsoft said this is like moving from a 720p television to a 2K set for each eye.
Other noteworthy amenities include a time-of-flight sensor used to "touch" visual elements, an 8-megapixel front-facing camera and USB Type-C charging.
All of this won't come cheap, mind you. Microsoft has priced HoloLens 2 at $3,500, more or less limiting it to enterprise and institutional use.
The World Artificial Intelligence Conference also hosted a debate on artificial intelligence between Alibaba co-founder and executive chairman Jack Ma and Tesla chief Elon Musk. If you've got roughly 50 minutes to spare, it's certainly worth a watch.