The XR Weekly Update (January 29, 2025): Google Acquires HTC Talent, Meta’s Oakley Smartglasses Announcement, and More!

Greetings to all celebrating the Lunar New Year! Here’s wishing the Year of the Snake brings you loads of joy, love, prosperity, and perhaps a few shiny new XR headsets. For those observing this festive time, I hope you get to relish delicious meals and enjoy moments with your loved ones. My work schedule has been intense lately, so this update may be a bit shorter and delayed, but it’s still packed with the latest in XR developments!

Top News of the Week

Google Acquires HTC Vive Engineers for $250M

In a surprise move, Google has bought out several XR engineers from HTC Vive, along with some non-exclusive rights to HTC’s intellectual property, for a staggering $250 million. While Google hasn’t spilled all the details, the aim is to "accelerate the Android XR platform across headsets and glasses." This could mean a boost in expertise, but whether these engineers will focus on Android XR or a potential new Google headset is unclear. I’d put my money on the former. This isn’t Google’s first rodeo with HTC expertise; they previously acquired HTC’s design team back in 2017 for around $1.1 million. Google’s latest move indicates a serious commitment to XR, but big companies can be unpredictable. Still, their current focus is reassuring, though one must remain vigilant. Meanwhile, what does this mean for HTC? Did they offload many senior engineers, suggesting a strategic pivot? Only time will reveal HTC’s next chapter as a former market leader in VR.

For more details, check out these sources: [Google acquires HTC engineers — Road To VR](Google’s move) [Upload VR](Google’s intentions) [Commitment to XR](Google’s XR commitment).

Other Relevant News

Meta’s Upcoming Smartglasses Venture

After the Ray-Ban success, Meta is doubling down on smartglasses collaboration, working with EssilorLuxottica to introduce a sporty Oakley line designed for athletes. Unlike a display screen, these will house speakers. Additionally, Meta is crafting a high-end variant with a display for notifications, priced around $1,000, aimed at niche prosumers. Additionally planned are high-profile commercials featuring Hollywood celebrities for the flagship Ray-Ban model during the Super Bowl. The Orion prototype will advance into developer hands by 2026. Meta’s staying versatile, covering VR, MR, and smartglasses/AR fields.

For more details, check out these sources: [Meta’s new smartglasses in the works — Road To VR](Meta’s glasses plans) [Upload VR](Meta’s direction) [Superbowl ad for Ray-Ban Meta](Superbowl feature) [Orion 2027](Orion developer timeline) [Original report on Bloomberg](Initial Meta development report).

Updates on Meta’s Quest Pro Successor

In a fresh update from Mark Gurman, Meta’s Quest Pro successor plans are still alive. The "Puffin" headset, which could be the sequel to Quest Pro, sees Meta refining previous flaws that affected the Quest Pro’s reception. With competition looming from higher-end tech devices like Vision Pro, it’s clear Meta wants a say in this arena. A polished Quest Pro 2 might find its place in enterprises.

For more info, click here.

Samsung and Google’s Project Moohan Unveiling

Many expected significant AR announcements during Samsung Unpacked but left slightly disappointed. On the brighter side, apart from improved Gemini AI integration in Samsung devices, there was a peek at the Moohan headset, inspired by the Vision Pro. The event offered glimpses into the device and Marques Brownlee shared a first look, even though not much new was revealed.

For more info, check here: [Project Moohan at Samsung Unpacked](Moohan revelation) [MKBHD’s first look](MKBHD insight) [AI updates on Samsung phones](Samsung AI upgrades).

Noteworthy Mentions

Meta’s Christmas Troubles Explained

Meta VP of VR/MR, Mark Rabkin, shed light on why some headsets malfunctioned around Christmas. The culprit was a bug in the Android Open Source Project’s (AOSP) filesystem, not Meta’s. These issues, though complex, have been fixed with Google’s help.

For more info, check here.

CM Games’ "Into The Radius 2" Hits $3M

CM Games has impressed with its title "Into The Radius." Despite only being in early access, the sequel has raked in $3 million on Steam, benefiting hugely from community inputs to refine the game. CEO Vlad Rannik notes that Steam helps create a thriving initial player base before launching formally on platforms like Quest.

For more info, check here: [Sales success](800K units) [$3M grossed](Early Access success).

CREAL’s Advanced Lightfield Engine

CREAL, a rising name in the lightfield display sector, has managed to shrink its engine to near standard glasses sizes. This progress is promising for wearable device adoption, marking a leap from its earlier cumbersome size.

For more info, check here.

Auto Room Scanning in Quest 3?

The Quest 3 might see automatic room scanning to simplify mixed reality experiences, potentially tackling the annoyance of re-scanning whenever furniture is moved. This could prove a significant step forward.

For more info, check here.

Our Future with AI Agents

Visionary Keiichi Matsuda teamed up with Niantic to create a short film depicting a future intertwined with AR and AI agents. It’s a beautifully imagined piece worth a watch.

For more info, check here.

Content Updates

• Fitness Fables is a unique blend of action gameplay with VR fitness, arriving on Quest January 30th for $12.
• FlatVR Studios mixes elements from various FlatOut games in their upcoming release, "FlatOut VR."
• Path of Fury brings martial arts action to VR with its March release.
• The co-op puzzle game Elsewhere Electric, is arriving on Quest, promoting collaborative play between VR and mobile users, expected in spring/summer.
• The Smurfs: Flower Defense will soon land on Quest 3 offering a nostalgic tower defense experience.
• A mod allows playing Crysis in VR! Now your headset can indeed run Crysis.

For more info, check here: [Fitness Fables](Release announcement) [FlatOut VR](Game details) [Path of Fury premiere](Upcoming titles) [Co-op Mode in Elsewhere Electric](Game collaboration) [The Smurfs on VR](Mixed-reality fun) [Crysis Mod](VR adaptation).

Additional News

• GDC survey highlights 35% of game developers are exploring XR avenues.
  Learn more
• Students and educators now enjoy half-price Snap Spectacles.
  Learn more
• Vrgamerdude offers hands-on insights on the innovative Mudra Link bracelet.
  Learn more
• Apple’s new Miami store dedicates spaces for Vision Pro exploration.
  Learn more
• Gabriele Romagnoli dives deep into Horizon Store’s MR apps in a recent analysis.
  Learn more
• AI-driven CaddieVision AR glasses are redefining golf experience.
  Learn more

Partner News

SkyClimb, the platform climbing adventure with novel arm-based gameplay, is offering its multiplayer mode for free thanks to indie studio VRMonkey. With positive feedback already on Quest, why not have a go? For more info, check here and give it a try!

XR Fun

Parenting in a virtual world isn’t always straightforward… Funny link

Did you know DOOM can run inside a PDF file? Funny link

Sometimes, the best VR upgrade doesn’t require technology at all. Funny link

And a word to the wise: when it’s VR sexy time, tread carefully… Funny link

Honestly, it’s a pretty good idea to keep your room tidy. Funny link

Donate for Good

Wrapping up this newsletter, I’d rather encourage you to help those affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. If you feel moved to provide assistance, please consider donating to the Red Cross. Here’s how you can help:

• Support The Red Cross in Ukraine

A heartfelt thanks to all my Patreon supporters whose generosity keeps this blog thriving:

• Alex Gonzalez VR
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• Nikk Mitchell and the great FXG team
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And many more incredible supporters who continue making a difference!

Wishing you all an adventurous journey into what the XR world holds next!