At Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Microsoft has just finished its announcement presentation for the HoloLens 2. Now that the dust has settled, let's take a look at all the relevant details surrounding the new mixed reality head mounted display.
HoloLens 2 will be made available later this year and will initially be available in key Microsoft markets. Those locations are the United States, China, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
Microsoft says the number of countries will grow once the device is launched. As this suggests, HoloLens 2 is a full consumer device, unlike the original HoloLens which never left its developer edition.
In terms of price, HoloLens is cheaper than its predecessor, but still a costly prospect. Microsoft says it cost $3,500, down from the $5,000 original model. The company wants to help more people access the HMD, so has debuted a payment program.
Customers can buy HoloLens 2 bundles, including one features Dynamics 365 Remote Assist. These bundles will start at $125 per month.
The second-generation HoloLens is available now for pre-order from the Microsoft Store.
Full Specs
Display:
- Optics – See-through holographic lenses (waveguides)
- Resolution – 2k 3:2 light engines
- Holographic Density – >2.5k radiants (light points per radian)
- Eye-based Rendering – Display optimization for 3D eye position
Sensors & Audio:
- Depth – Azure Kinect sensor
- IMU – Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Magnetometer
- Camera – 8MP stills, 1080p30 video
- Microphone Array – 5 channels
- Speakers – Built-in, Spatial Audio
Human Understanding:
- Hand Tracking – Two-handed fully articulated model, direct manipulation
- Eye Tracking – Real-time tracking
- Voice – Command and control on-device, Natural Language with internet connectivity
Environmental Understanding:
- 6DoF Tracking – World-scale positional tracking
- Spatial Mapping – Real-time environment mesh
- Mixed Reality Capture – Mixed hologram and physical environment photos and videos
Compute & Connectivity:
- SoC: Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 Compute Platform
- HPU: 2nd Generation Custom-built Holographic Processing Unit
- WiFi: 802.11ac 2×2
- Bluetooth: 5.0
- USB: USB Type-C
Power:
- Battery Life – 2-3 hours of active use
- Charging – USB Power Delivery – Fast Charging
- Thermals – Passively Cooled
Fit:
- Size – Fits over glasses, size using adjustment dial
Software:
- Windows Holographic OS
- Edge
- Remote Assist
- Layout
- Guides
- 3D Viewer
- OneDrive for Business
