Microsoft Mixed Reality Headset Release Date, Specs News: Acer's HMD Arriving to Developers This Month
Microsoft has announced that its Mixed Reality platform will be available on the Xbox One and Project Scorpio in 2018; but before that, the Redmond-based tech giant has partnered with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to create headsets compatible with mixed reality-ready PCs. The first of which, developed by Acer, will be available to developers this month.
Announced at the Game Developers Conference (GDC), Acer's Windows Mixed Reality Development Edition head-mounted display (HMD) features two high-resolution liquid crystal screens with a resolution of 1,440 x 1,440 pixels, a display refresh rate of up to 90 Hz, a 3.5 mm jack for audio and microphone support and a single cable with both HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports.
Microsoft has also confirmed that companies like ASUS, Dell, HP, Lenovo and 3Glasses are slated to release their own mixed-reality headsets.
These headsets will allow developers to create mixed reality apps and games and to ensure that they deliver immersive experiences. Mixed reality is said to create a more complex environment than what virtual reality (VR) has to offer. It blends the real world with virtual content and the overall result is a natural environment where both physical and digital objects can coexist and interact.
According to TechCrunch, the mixed reality headsets will be equipped with inside-out tracking with sensors to scan one's physical surroundings. It also helps keep track of one's virtual movements and the placement of virtual objects. It is a plug-and-play setup that eliminates the need for external trackers or sensors in the wall.
The launch of these mixed reality headsets will help prepare the launch of Microsoft's Mixed Reality platform, which will be integrated across Windows 10 devices, including PCs and the aforementioned gaming systems.
It is expected that Microsoft's mixed reality headsets will compete with Sony's popular PlayStation VR headset, which has sold more than 915,000 units since its launch in October 2016.
