Microsoft Has Cancelled the Second-Gen HoloLens, Working on Third-Gen For 2019 Launch (thurrott.com)

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Microsoft Has Cancelled the Second-Gen HoloLens, Working on Third-Gen For 2019 Launch (thurrott.com)

Posted by msmash on Monday February 20, 2017 @05:10AM from the change-in-plan dept.

Citing several unnamed sources, long-time blogger Brad Sams is reporting that Microsoft has canceled the second iteration of the HoloLens in an attempt to focus on even more advanced HoloLens. The company, he says, now plans to launch that third iteration of HoloLens in 2019. From the report: Back when the first version of HoloLens came out, Microsoft created a roadmap that highlighted several release points for the product. This isn't unusual, you start with the first device, second generation devices are typically smaller and more affordable and then with version three you introduce new technology that upgrades the experience; this is a standard process path in the technology sector. Microsoft, based on my sources, is sidelining what was going to be version two of HoloLens and is going straight to version three. By skipping what was version two on their roadmap, the company can accelerate version three which will be closer to a generational leap and help keep Microsoft ahead of the competition. My sources are telling me that this version of HoloLens will not arrive until 2019.

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If Apple built a Hololens we'd never hear about it by RandyHill · 2017-02-20 05:20 · Score: 4, Insightful

Until it was ready for release. It's just bad product management to tease products that aren't ready for release yet, solve the main problems behind locked doors first.
Marketing by fuzzyf · 2017-02-20 05:21 · Score: 2

I get that this is marketing, and it sounds better with 3.0 than a 2.0 version.

But come on... it's not like they made a 2.0 already. They are experimenting, that is what 1.xx is for. Next release should be 2.0, IMHO.

Anyway. Not uncommon, and there are a few other issues with higher priorities on earth today :)
Innovation by JustAnotherOldGuy · 2017-02-20 05:25 · Score: 4, Funny

Ya gotta admit, it's pretty fucking innovative to cancel the product before it's even launched.

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Just cruising through this digital world at 33 1/3 rpm...
1. Re:Innovation by Pax681 · 2017-02-20 05:41 · Score: 2
  
  Ya gotta admit, it's pretty fucking innovative to cancel the product before it's even launched.
  they must have picked up the tip from crowd-funding sites :P_
2. Re:Innovation by DontBeAMoran · 2017-02-20 05:47 · Score: 2
  
  Doing such a thing takes courage.
  
  --
  #DeleteFacebook
3. Re:Innovation by Opportunist · 2017-02-20 06:52 · Score: 2
  
  Hey, I use LInux, where's my big, black cock?
  Typical for open source, I bet I get some hodgepodge instructions and have to make my own and find out how to use it properly, only to end up stuffing it into your ass instead.
  
  --
  We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Perfect is the enemy of good by Overzeetop · 2017-02-20 05:25 · Score: 2, Insightful

No matter how good v3 is going to be in 2 years, v4, in 4 years will be much, much better. With this logic, there's really no reason to release. Ever.
Unless, of course, the team really has just been surfing the internet and going to to lunch and then straight to the bar afterwards for the past 2 years instead of working on product.

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Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
1. Re:Perfect is the enemy of good by swb · 2017-02-20 07:05 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I think the engineering improvement curve for stuff like this is really steep. What's practically impossible today, is practical but outrageously expensive in 9 months and commodity priced in 18 months.
  IMHO, all of the VR stuff is so bleeding edge that it's going to make the smartphone cycle look slow and methodical in 5 years. Meanwhile, do you rush out products that are expensive, quickly obsolete and don't grab many buyers in the name of "getting to market first"? Or do you iterate it internally and among select developers until your actual concept is practical and at prices that will gain a high volume of sales?
  I don't think they're out of line here, the technology in this stuff is advancing faster than they can integrate it into a coherent product and get it to manufacturing.
Off topic about the Ad by fuzzyf · 2017-02-20 05:28 · Score: 5, Informative

Could the intern who taped/stapled/glued the Ad on the top of slashdot (Classic view) please be given time to learn Javascript/css?

Looks likes something from early dot-com. It makes the page behave oddly and annoyingly (on all my devices, but more so on iphone).
Re:If Apple built a Hololens we'd never hear about by OhPlz · 2017-02-20 05:46 · Score: 2

Like the iPhone that was only for right-handed users?
I don't know if MS ever published any numbers, but it looks like the first version was targeted mostly at developers, which makes sense. You pay for the hardware and you get a jump start in producing a software product for it, without waiting for a general release. That's not at all unusual and is actually a good thing. It sounds like they were doing parallel development with version two and version three at different points in the development life cycle. If two had issues that couldn't be worked out in a reasonable amount of time doesn't it make sense to drop the release and focus on the next one? These things happen with large, cutting edge projects. At least MS is trying to innovate, there hasn't been much new from Apple other than the "courage" of removing every port possible from their devices.
Re:If Apple built a Hololens we'd never hear about by Anonymous Coward · 2017-02-20 06:15 · Score: 2, Insightful

I would be pretty pissed off as a developer if I poured money into a dev kit thinking this thing might actually hit the market anytime soon.
I heard one guy made a deal with the Robot Devil by Thud457 · 2017-02-20 06:17 · Score: 4, Funny

well to be fair, the hololens is such a difficult instrument, only a few people in the whole universe can master it.

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the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Re:If Apple built a Hololens we'd never hear about by Thruen · 2017-02-20 06:27 · Score: 3, Interesting

So much this. I was actually really excited for the HoloLens, then I got to try it at a trade show. Excitement gone. The concept is awesome, but the product itself just isn't there yet. The gesture recognition was good, but the viewing area was tiny and hard to see, not to mention the headpiece is unwieldy and almost painful to wear even for a few minutes. I really want to like the HoloLens, it's just so bad right now.
Re:If Apple built a Hololens we'd never hear about by Opportunist · 2017-02-20 06:50 · Score: 3, Insightful

Release? Who wants to release? We're just announcing something forever so nobody else bothers to build one or if they do, nobody buys it because they're waiting for the Microsoft one.

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We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
Which company will arrive first? by DontBeAMoran · 2017-02-20 06:55 · Score: 2

The first company to give me an A.I. in A.R. in the shape of bunny-girl cassette girl wins.

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#DeleteFacebook
Lipstick on a pig by JeffSh · 2017-02-20 08:01 · Score: 2

I think this is bullshit. This isn't "We're skipping 2 and going straight for 3", this is "2 sucks, and we need to work on it more, so we're going to keep working on it and what we were going to call v2 is now called v3 since it conveniently slots into v3 release cycle"
horse shit lies, lol
Re:I heard one guy made a deal with the Robot Devi by LifesABeach · 2017-02-20 08:16 · Score: 2

Ya, that part about putting the device on your head looks complicated. Maybe someone could design a robotic machine to place the device on ones head?
Re:If Apple built a Hololens we'd never hear about by OhPlz · 2017-02-21 05:03 · Score: 2

AR vs VR. Apples vs oranges.