Microsoft unveils HoloLens 2, promises greater mixed reality immersion

Microsoft has unveiled the next version of its mixed-reality HoloLens headset, the emphatically named Microsoft Hololens 2. 

The company debuted the headset at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and claims the new device has made strides forward in three key areas: immersion, comfort, and time-to-value. 

In terms of immersion, Microsoft has scaled up the headset's visual display system to make holograms more realistic and vibrant. 

It's also more than doubled the field of view in HoloLens 2 while maintaining holographic density of 47 pixels per degree of sight, and has added some new and improved eye-tracking sensors. 

The company has also overhauled the way users interact with holograms, and explained that HoloLens 2 uses a new time-of-flight depth sensor and AI understanding to let people manipulate holograms with the same instinctual interactions they'd use in the real world. 

Microsoft also said HoloLens 2 has a more balanced center of gravity, and utilizes light carbon-fiber material, and a new mechanism for donning the device without readjusting.

Hololens 2 also has a new thermal management system with vapor chamber tech.

Microsoft claims time-to-value has been accelerated by applications like Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, Dynamics 365 Layout and the new Dynamics 365 Guides, letting users get the most out of their mixed reality jaunts. 

"In addition to the in-box value, our ecosystem of mixed reality partners provides a broad range of offerings built on HoloLens that deliver value across a range of industries and use cases," explained the company. 

"This partner ecosystem is being supplemented by a new wave of mixed reality entrepreneurs who are realizing the potential of devices like HoloLens 2 and the Azure services that give them the spatial, speech and vision intelligence needed for mixed reality, plus battle-tested cloud services for storage, security and application insights."

HoloLens 2 will be available later this year for $3,500, and is available to pre-order right now. You can find out more by clicking here.