Microsoft won't release the HoloLens until "the world is ready"

[wyattzx]

Quote

Microsoft's HoloLens AR headset sounds like a potentially impressive piece of equipment, and a developer's kit will be rolling out sometime in the first quarter of this year (which we are currently in the midst of) for a whopping $3000. Don't expect a consumer version to follow anytime soon, though. Microsoft's Alex Kipman said at a recent TED Conference in Vancouver, reported by Recode, that the company is determined to avoid repeating the mistakes it made with Kinect.

Source: PCGamer

 

While this approach makes sense, I feel that the HoloLens will have no place in any consumers' homes with a price tag of $3,000. It's less of an entertainment device, and more of a development device at that point. Augmented Reality should be reserved for things like engineering, the medical field, et cetera. The price for entry is simply too high for your average consumer, even if the product is of high quality. That being said, I'm glad Microsoft is being sensible about this, as it seems the wounds from the Kinect haven't quite healed yet, as is referenced in the source link. 

 

Thoughts?

[Aytex]

More like the Developers aren't ready 

 

[DaltonM]

Yeah my first thought was 'when our wallets are ready' lol. Or when the tech becomes cheaper. 

[TetraSky]

Because they know if they release it "now", it won't really sell at all and it will flop.
Then in 5 years Apple will come around and release the same thing just with a new coat of paint and suddenly everyone buys it.

[vanished]

I honestly expected it would cost something like that at first.  If is clearly going to be years before this is ready at all, never mind cheap enough to be affordable by consumers.  I think there will be (once it is commonplace) expensive models that military, engineering, medical, etc. use that have all the latest stuff and then cheaper ones that the rest of us get that are basically the old high-end ones.

 

The take home point is that this is even more complicated to do well than VR and thus the pricing will follow it + a premium.

[atrash]

That $3k price was never targeted for the consumer in the first place. It's called a dev kit for a reason.

 

Also have a look at what/how they are making use of HoloLens IRL.

https://blogs.windows.com/devices/2016/02/20/microsoft-hololens-in-space-making-science-fiction-mixed-reality/

[suicidalfranco]

inb4 apple releases they're AR solutions, a hold of practically the majority of market share, then someone like google or Samung joins the party with a more open alternative, starts catching up to Apple and when the two major competing platfoem become the AR standard MS will release their consumer versin of the halolens struggle to gain marketshare and see it's platform receive a slow and painful death... This gives me a feel of deja-vu... and it's not the first time it does

[ChineseChef]

I don't think the tech is really there yet for AR.  The screen tech, sure, cameras, yah.  But the support tech behind it, batteries that could last long enough, and a computer small enough and powerful enough, and the software capable of actually doing what people expect it to do.  Those aren't ready.  Until it can actually truly do what they showed in the original promo video, it won't be worth it.  It will just be a gimmick that only works in very specific situations, for a lot of money.  VR is ready for prime time, its just costly.  But we aren't close to HoloLens AR, not like the people who would be using it expect.

 

I think its smart to wait, the tech isn't ready.  And if they released now, it would be like 3D TVs, a handful of people would get it and use it. 

[zMeul]

to be read - we, MS, fucked up .. again

[zacRupnow]

7 hours ago, Aytex said:

More like the Developers aren't ready 

Spoiler

 

Change is

whether the world is ready or not!

[KuJoe]

Based on the public reaction when the price of the Rift and Vive was announced, Microsoft is smart. When you release a brand new technology at a reasonable price but is too high for most consumers it causes anger and outrage apparently. People lost their minds when HTC announced their cheap $799 price tag for the Vive yesterday, people would riot if Microsoft released any new technology costing 4 figures.

[connorpiper]

Seeing as this is one example of the uses: http://www.volvocars.com/intl/about/our-stories/human-innovations/pilot-projects-umbrella/hololens

A 3K price tag makes sense. 

[ShadowCaptain]

they went on about this for ages, and now they are like "nah"

 

 

[Ex14]

5 hours ago, zMeul said:

to be read - we, MS, fucked up .. again

if by fuck up you mean being too ahead of the crowd then yea. I wholeheartedly agree. They've always been fucking up in that way, but can you blame them for trying new things?

1 hour ago, ShadowCaptain said:

they went on about this for ages, and now they are like "nah"

 

 

they're damned if they do, damned if they don't. I mean Kinect is a clear example of what happens when they "do" I can think og 4 main points for Microsoft "failing" in the eyes of the consumers. 1) they used to be the big company which took eons to move or change, causing them to miss out on mobile. 2) They too frequently are way "ahead" of the times. While i applaud them for it. I think what apple has shown us is that being ahead of the game isnt enough. You need to be ahead AND deliever. 3) Theres this wierd stigma associated with MS that it isnt cool; its some kind of tryant; its pure evil. It doesnt help that 4) They absolutely suck in communication.This is something they probably need to address as its hurting good efforts like windows 10/ windows phone/previous xbox concept.

 

 

 

 

 

[ShadowCaptain]

1 minute ago, Ex14 said:

SNIP

I actually dont think microsoft have a clue when it comes to anything

[Ex14]

3 minutes ago, ShadowCaptain said:

I actually dont think microsoft have a clue when it comes to anything

I actually think they do have a plan, but their dismal communication have very frequently cause major misunderstandings which then cause massive backlash, which in turn causes them to backtrack on alot of their plans and such.

[LAwLz]

Are they holding back because "the world is not ready", or because "our product is not ready"? I think it is the latter.

At 3000 dollars it will barely sell any units at all. Just look at how people reacted to the Oculus Rift being 600 dollars (plus taxes and shipping). You might say that the Rift and the Hololens aren't competing since one is augmented reality and the other is VR, but they are totally competing. Most people will not get both. They will get one or the other.

 

The comparison to the Kinect is laughable. The Kinect was seen as a flop because it was shit. It was extremely inaccurate and could only be used for things which required huge movements (like dancing when you throw up your entire arm). It wasn't because "the world was not ready", it was because the technology behind the product wasn't ready. I mean, just look at the sales figures of it. It sold like crazy because people were ready, then they were disappointed by the terrible quality of the product.

The only way the comparison is accurate is if Microsoft knows that the Hololens is a really unpolished and gimmicky product, like the Kinect was.

[ShadowCaptain]

Just now, LAwLz said:

SNIP.

10000000000000000% agree

[Misanthrope]

Apart for their pretentious "The world is not ready for our glorified glasses" it's cool.

[zMeul]

11 minutes ago, Ex14 said:

if by fuck up you mean being too ahead of the crowd then yea. I wholeheartedly agree. They've always been fucking up in that way, but can you blame them for trying new things?

riight ,,,

 

how about that Surface Hub? wasn't it supposed to start shiping like a month ago 

yeah

[Ex14]

4 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

 

The comparison to the Kinect is laughable. The Kinect was seen as a flop because it was shit. It was extremely inaccurate and could only be used for things which required huge movements (like dancing when you throw up your entire arm). It wasn't because "the world was not ready", it was because the technology behind the product wasn't ready. I mean, just look at the sales figures of it. It sold like crazy because people were ready, then they were disappointed by the terrible quality of the product.

The only way the comparison is accurate is if Microsoft knows that the Hololens is a really unpolished and gimmicky product, like the Kinect was.

how is it laughable? It just goes to show they are learning not to put it out before they feel the software's caught up. Kinect might have not been THAT accurate but for something that you dont have to stick a million balls/dots to your apendages (Aka motion capture) it was pretty good. Infact OUTSIDE of gaming there have been some interesting apllications for the Kinect tech. The only reason it was gimmicky was because the software made it so. So now that they're waiting on he hololens to be actually enticing youre giving them (somewhat) shit about it? Like what do you want MS to do or even better what would you have done in their shoes in this situation?

Just now, zMeul said:

riight ,,,

 

how about that Surface Hub? wasn't it supposed to start shiping like a month ago 

yeah

the last I read they're claiming manfucturing issues. It could be a aupplier messed up? That yields of a certain component didn't go well? Who knows? In all honesty, I don't see how a manufacturing issue, which might have been out of their hands honestly, is MS fault. And truthfully. I didn't really think the surface hub was that innovative. But I'm not up to date on the business side of electronics so.

[atrash]

1 hour ago, zMeul said:

riight ,,,

 

how about that Surface Hub? wasn't it supposed to start shiping like a month ago 

yeah

http://www.king5.com/story/tech/2016/02/15/king-5-first-local-tv-station-microsoft-surface-hub/80405250/

 

still not producing the surface hub fast enough..

[Doobeedoo]

Yeah, for sure price is huge. World is for sure not ready. Devs? Also, project, is it ready? Doubt it, will take time for this.

[BHS4K]

Why does it sound like MS is going to fuck up again

[beebskadoo]

"When the world is ready"

Basically what I hear Microsoft saying is that they don't have a properly working product, no promised developer support, and no plans to release the thing in the foreseeable future. Once again they fail to be the leader in the market and will be left to release something while the market is already saturated and dominated by other companies. Come on Microsoft, aren't you tired of playing second fiddle to every other company? Don't miss the boat again like you did with Windows Phone.