Just weeks before 2024 wraps up and the new year draws closer, the XR industry is steeped in countless stories that may lead to a transformative year for XR.
2024 looks to be a foundational year for the future of XR, from hardware to software and from consumer to enterprise. The plumbing powering the XR revolution appears to be built or is at least almost complete.
From digital twins to AR smart glasses, 2025 may very well be a big boom for XR across the market. However, as always, that future is not set. What is set is the present day, and this week shows the stepping stones towards XR’s tipping point are very much being paved.
Major Vendors to Dismantle Meta, Apple Market Dominance
This week, a major piece of the 2025 XR puzzle came to light. The industry is poised to be absolutely transformative for many reasons, one of them being the recent unification of major XR firms.
Google recently announced Android XR, a new operating system designed explicitly for XR (Extended Reality) devices and services, which the company describes as the “next generation of computing.”
Notably, Google is developing the XR OS in collaboration with Samsung, which also revealed plans to release an XR headset in 2025. Other influential figures in the XR industry support Android XR, including Qualcomm, Sony, XREAL, Magic Leap, and Lynx, an emerging player in the XR market.
“We are paving the way for a wide array of Android XR devices that will meet the diverse needs of people and businesses,” Google stated in an official press release.
The introduction of the Android XR ecosystem comes as Meta promotes its Horizon OS and Apple launches its visionOS. Google and its partners may be uniting various major players in the Android XR ecosystem to provide a competitive alternative to Apple and Meta’s offerings.
The primary goal of the Android XR OS is to enhance the future of AI, AR, and VR experiences on headsets and smart glasses. The Android XR version is in a preview stage for developers, with a broader release expected soon. Developers who begin working with Android XR today can utilize familiar tools such as ARCore, Android Studio, Jetpack Compose, Unity, and OpenXR to start building applications.
As part of the Android XR announcement, Google also provided the first look at Samsung’s headset, codenamed “Project Moohan,” which will be available for purchase next year. While the features of Project Moohan are still largely speculative, AI is expected to play a significant role in the device’s functionality.
Additionally, Google emphasized the crucial part that Gemini AI assistants will play in providing new opportunities for interacting with a headset and its visualizations. Due to its Android background, the XR OS will support numerous existing mobile and tablet applications and content specifically designed for Android XR.
This development addresses a significant challenge in the widespread adoption of XR technology: users require a diverse range of applications and system-selling services to commit to using an XR device. Google is also testing prototype Android XR smart glasses with select users, focusing on privacy, flexibility, and opportunities, with new updates likely to shake up the market in 2025.
Microsoft, Meta Quest Usher in New Spatial Productivity Tools
This week, a significant partnership was announced: Microsoft Mixed Reality Link is now officially in an open-release model. This newly launched service allows Meta Quest 3 and 3s headset owners to connect their mixed reality devices to a Windows 11 PC, facilitating spatial productivity workflows.
Microsoft has announced that Mixed Reality Link users can stream their Windows 11 screen directly to a Meta Quest 3 or 3s headset. This feature enables users to access virtual monitors for work in a spatial environment. Although some existing bugs exist when using workplace applications like Teams, Microsoft is eager to promote this service as a seamless work tool.
The Microsoft Mixed Reality Link employs unique QR codes to link headsets to PCs. To access the service, users must have the latest version of Windows 11 installed.
It is important to note that the Microsoft Mixed Reality Link service is only compatible with the Meta Quest 3 and 3s headsets—not any other models. This partnership highlights Microsoft and Meta’s commitment to developing a spatial productivity service, possibly aiming to fill the gap left by Apple with Vision Pro.
TeamViewer Acquires 1E
TeamViewer made a significant accomplishment in 2024 by acquiring 1E, a company that offers a Digital Employee Experience (DEX) management toolset. The acquisition agreement was signed with Carlyle Europe Technology Partners, part of the global investment firm Carlyle. 1E has an enterprise value of $720 million.
TeamViewer aims to finalize the deal in early 2025, aligning with its goal to become a leading player in the digital workplace market as the new year approaches. This move will combine TeamViewer’s immersive workplace tools with the 1E autonomous IT platform. By integrating TeamViewer and 1E services, clients will benefit from a system designed to proactively prevent and resolve IT issues and efficient remote expert support to address them.
Oliver Steil, CEO of TeamViewer, remarked that by working with 1E, TeamViewer is “ideally positioned to meet growing customer demands for more real-time, automated, and proactive approaches in the IT and the OT space.”
Steil called TeamVeiwers’ 1E acquisition ” the most significant acquisition to date,” marking “an important step forward to accelerate enterprise growth, drive innovation, and deliver greater value to our customers.”
Haply Robotics to Win Big at CES 2025
Haply Robotics has announced that next month, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025 in Las Vegas, the company will be recognized with the event’s Innovation Awards 2025 for its Miniverse product. This device aims to provide a mouse-style solution for workers operating in a 3D spatial environment.
At CES, the Miniverse will be acknowledged in the “Metaverse” and “XR Technologies & Accessories” categories, where Haply Robotics has won both the “Best of Innovation” and “Honoree” awards.
The event will take place from January 7 to 10 in Las Vegas, and thousands of innovative technology vendors will showcase solutions designed to improve everyday life.
Haply Robotics’ solution is available for businesses and consumers, particularly helping those involved in digital design and engineering workflows. The Miniverse is a 3D mouse that utilizes haptic technology to replicate digital objects’ texture, weight, resistance, elasticity, viscosity, and edges. The Miniverse device is used alongside a Meta Quest product in the firm’s promotional video.
Haply Robotics points out that the Miniverse is ready for 3D modelling, sculpting, and virtual exploration applications. The device can easily be integrated with platforms like Blender, RoboDK, and Haply’s first-party HARP software.
Additionally, the device is portable, making it suitable for modern workers who may not have access to a large office or who work on the go. The Miniverse also features an open-source platform, allowing dedicated developers to enhance the device’s capabilities as we move into 2025.
