Microsoft has announced a significant shift in its approach to the development of its Mixed Reality Toolkit software. The company is transitioning the development of the toolkit to its own organization within GitHub. The move is aimed at providing developers with more freedom to introduce other endpoints and influence the toolkit's feature roadmaps.
Steering Committee Formation
Microsoft's decision to spin off the development does not signify a reduced commitment to the toolkit. On the contrary, the company aims to increase its investments in the program. A key part of this new strategy is the formation of a steering committee that will include major industry players. Two of these players have already been confirmed: Magic Leap and Qualcomm.
Magic Leap, known for its work in developing mixed-reality headsets and software, has expressed its support for the move. In a statement, Magic Leap emphasized the importance of giving developers and companies tools they can control, suggesting that this will lead to a more robust and active ecosystem for the technology.
Qualcomm, the company behind the chips that power Microsoft's HoloLens devices, is another significant addition to the steering committee. Their collaboration with Microsoft on various AR initiatives, including the System-on-Chip (SoC) platform used in HoloLens 2, makes them a valuable partner in this endeavor.
Anticipated Release of MRTK3
Microsoft has also confirmed that the Mixed Reality Toolkit 3 (MRTK3) is set to be generally available in the second week of September 2023. This new version promises several enhancements, including faster performance, reduced memory usage, and a revamped user interface.
GitHub Repository Details
For those interested in the technical documentation of the Mixed Reality Toolkit, the official GitHub page provides project documentation templates for new Mixed Reality Toolkit projects. This repository is a valuable resource for developers looking to engage with the toolkit and contribute to its growth.
