HoloLens headset comes at a hefty price

The HoloLens developer kit can be baught in the US and Canada for $3,000.  Image Microsoft

First, Microsoft opens up the HoloLens technology to third-party companies. Next they release the developer version of the HoloLens augmented reality headset to the wider public starting August 3.

There’s just one catch. With a price tag of $3,000, the HoloLens headset costs more than the Vive, PSVR and Rift combined, TechRadar reported.

Augmented reality (AR) is fundamentally different from virtual reality. Instead of immersing the user in an artificially created world, AR inserts virtual elements into real world space in the same manner that users see Pokémon on their smartphone’s screen.

HoloLens itself utilizes specialized AR technology developed by Microsoft to map out the environment and allow users to interact with digital objects via gestures. The technology is so specialized that Microsoft created an entirely separate operating system for it, called Windows Holographic. The headset also has spatial audio functionality for added immersion.

Much like the initial Oculus Rift developer kit, the developer version of the HoloLens is not yet the final retail version and will still have a few bugs to iron out.

And while the HoloLens will technically be available for purchase by anyone, Microsoft is marketing the device more among developers and business clients rather than consumers at the moment. Prospective buyers must also reside in either the US or Canada.  Alfred Bayle