HoloLens 2: Making the cloud more accessible

Microsoft has recently unveiled the release of the new version of their extremely popular HoloLens device boasting useful improvements and higher connectivity to outside services. With the launch of the second generation augmented-reality headset HoloLens 2 it is set to be a massive platform for businesses to build from to support remote training and manufacturing.

The HoloLens 2 has an easy flip-up visor, a larger vertical field of view, includes articulated hand and eye tracking to ease interacting with holograms. There is an anticipated ship date of the HoloLens 2 scheduled for the second half of the year.  

HoloLens 2 may be the first device sporting the Windows Core Operating System (Windows 10 core software) with this firmware device enabling advances for a new display, camera and other beneficial aspects.  

The previous model of HoloLens could connect to Azure however HoloLens 2 is a cloud and edge-connected device out of the box. The HoloLens 2 hardware will be offered at a standalone price of around $3,500 with two different subscription bundles. The first bundle for HoloLens 2 consists of HoloLens 2 plus Dynamics 365 Remote Assist bundle for $125 per user per month (or $1,500 for the year) based on a three-year period. There is another option for those that have not yet experienced the advantages of HoloLens with the HoloLens 2 plus Dynamics 365 Remote Assist bundle for $325 per user month (or $3,900 per year) for a one-year period.  

Users of HoloLens 2 can experience massive returns on investments due to savings on travel and training costs especially with many companies reaping the benefits of remote working. The release of Dynamics 365 Remote Assist allows for field service teams to connect to experts remotely and gather help and instructions. The HoloLens allows for hands-free interaction opening up the door for wider experiences for training especially for “first-line workers”. Other HoloLens apps include Dynamics 365 Product Visualise which allows users to showcase products in 3D with the Dynamics 365 Guides application available for 3D training at scale. These new applications are set to further exemplify the benefits augmented reality products have for big business change.  

The recent Dynamics 365 upcoming April 19 updates  showcased a number of noteworthy updates, one such update that will be favourable for the HoloLens 2 new product is the two new Azure services that will enable more cloud-intelligent edge scenarios with previews to be available to view soon. 

The Azure Spatial Anchors feature will allow users to render a hologram at the same place in the real world across HoloLens, iPhone and Android phones allowing for holograms to be utilised across multiple devices for a more coordinated system and higher levels of accessibility. The all new Azure Remote Rendering will allow users to see super-high-fidelity holograms sporting incredible resolution for both Android and iPhones. The image processing will be created via the Azure GPU’s in the cloud whilst streaming the images back to your selected device.  

There is customisation potential with the Azure System Builder kit for customers allowing users to build customised HoloLens equipment for their specific business needs. Expect this new release of the HoloLens 2 to help businesses transition to seeing the full benefits of augmented reality with the help of the extra cloud stability. HoloLens 2 is here to prove that augmented reality is not an innovation for the future but has real-time application and benefits at this present time for those businesses that want to be ahead of the curve.  

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