The XR Weekly Update (January 29, 2025): Google Buys HTC Engineering Team, Meta to Launch Oakley Smartglasses, and More!

Hey everyone, Happy Lunar New Year! I hope the Year of the Snake brings you joy, prosperity, success, and maybe even some XR headsets. For those celebrating, I hope you enjoy quality time with loved ones and indulge in some delicious food. I’m juggling quite a bit of work at the moment, so this newsletter might be a tad shorter and slightly delayed. Still, it’s packed with the latest happenings in the XR world you shouldn’t miss!

Top News of the Week

Image by Google

Google Acquires HTC Vive Engineers for $250M

In a move that caught many off guard, Google has snapped up XR engineers from HTC Vive for a hefty $250 million, along with some HTC intellectual property rights. The specifics are scarce, but Google announced that these skilled engineers would accelerate the growth of its Android XR platform across various headsets and glasses. This acquisition is a signal of Google’s commitment to expanding its foothold in the immersive technology arena. It’s reminiscent of Google’s 2017 acquisition of HTC’s design team, marking a continued collaboration between the two companies. While Google’s ambition is clear, one can’t help but wonder about HTC’s next steps. How will this impact their own hardware ventures?

Read more: Road To VR, Upload VR

Other Relevant News

Meta Expands Its Smart Glasses Portfolio

Building on the popularity of the Ray-Ban smart glasses, Meta is reportedly partnering with EssilorLuxottica to release new glasses under the Oakley brand aimed at athletes. While these will include a camera and speakers, another high-end model with a display for notifications and touch controls is also in development. These aren’t geared for mainstream audiences but for prosumers, priced around $1000. Meanwhile, the original Ray-Ban line is set to feature prominently during the Superbowl with commercials starring Hollywood actors.

Read more: Road To VR, Upload VR, Bloomberg

Meta Eyes a Successor to the Quest Pro

Mark Gurman shares that Meta is developing the Quest 4 VR headset and potentially a new high-end model, which could update the Quest Pro. Despite the Quest Pro’s lackluster performance due to flaws and pricing, Meta is keen on maintaining its place in the premium sector alongside competitors. A well-executed Quest Pro 2 could carve out a niche in the enterprise market.

Sneak Peek at Samsung and Google’s Project Moohan

While many anticipated major XR announcements at Samsung’s event, the focus remained on better AI integration in Samsung phones. Attendees did get a closer look at the Moohan headset, which was showcased behind the scenes and later reviewed by YouTuber Marques Brownlee. The design and operating system are strongly reminiscent of Apple’s Vision Pro, indicating a slowly building reveal strategy from Samsung and Google.

News Worth a Mention

Meta Explains Holiday Quest Glitch

Mark Rabkin from Meta shed light on why many Quest headsets failed over the holidays. The culprit? A bug in the Android Open Source Project, which Meta has since resolved and shared with Google.

CM Games’ Success with Into The Radius 2

CM Games is enjoying impressive sales milestones with "Into The Radius 2," having earned $3 million in early access on Steam alone. The game’s success is credited to strong community collaboration, especially on Steam—a valuable lesson as they prepare for broader Quest launches.

CREAL’s Lightfield Engine Miniaturization

CREAL continues to make strides in lightfield display technology, unveiling a new engine small enough to fit standard glasses. This marks a significant leap in making realistic AR objects feasible in wearable technology.

Quest 3’s Potential Automatic Room Scanning

Insider Luna reports that Meta is working on automatic room scanning for mixed reality on Quest 3. This advancement could significantly reduce friction for users by constantly updating the virtual layout to reflect real-world changes.

Thought-Provoking Video on AI-Driven Future

Visionary Keiichi Matsuda teams with Niantic to create a short film exploring a future with AI and augmented reality. It’s a visually captivating work that’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.

Content Highlights

• "Fitness Fables" mixes VR fitness with fantasy action, launching on Quest January 30th for $12.
• "FlatOut VR" aims to capture the best of the popular gaming franchise.
• "Path of Fury – Episode I: Tetsuo’s Tower," a kung-fu inspired VR game, arrives on Quest March 12th.
• "Elsewhere Electric," a cooperative challenge, offers cross-platform play between VR and mobile, debuting in spring/summer.
• "The Smurfs – Flower Defense," featuring mixed-reality gameplay, comes to Quest 3 in May.
• Thanks to modders, you can finally play Crysis in VR!

Additional Tidbits

• A survey notes 35% of game developers venture into XR.
• Discounts on Snap Spectacles are now available for students and educators.
• Hands-on experience of Mudra Link neural bracelet shared by Vrgamerdude.
• A Miami Apple Store dedicates an area to Vision Pro.

Partner News

SkyClimb thrills fans with a free multiplayer mode, showcasing its unique arm-based locomotion. Give it a whirl on Quest!

Take a moment to help those in need—consider donating to the Red Cross’s efforts in Ukraine. Warm thanks to my Patreon supporters for making this all possible.

Thank you all for your continuous support and engagement. Stay tuned for more updates in the world of XR!