HoloLens 2 Developer Edition arrives in the US, and the platform is expanding globally

Oculus has gotten the majority of VR news lately, but not always in a positive light thanks to its parent company Facebook. It’s not the only game in town, of course, but HTC Vive is mysteriously a little silent. Then there is the mixed reality world, where virtual and augmented reality collide. Microsoft’s HoloLens, technically an AR system, is still by and large still the biggest player and has just announced two major updates that aim to bring the mixed reality system to more users and more developers.

The HoloLens 2 was primarily aimed at institutional customers, but a few months ago it opened the doors to anyone who could afford that $ 3,500 price tag. However, the headset was only available in limited markets, which also limits the platform’s reach and popularity. This is changing today in more than one way.

For consumers, HoloLens 2 will be available in 15 other countries, Including Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Later this year, it will also be available in South Korea.

Microsoft is also opening the doors To more developers To create the apps and experiences that we hope will drive to use HoloLens 2. The developer version is now available, at least for those in the US. It has the same price tag of $ 3,500, but it also comes with $ 1,250 developer tools, including Azure credits and a three-month Unity Pro license.

Microsoft hopes this expansion will help accelerate the adoption of its Windows Holographic platform among developers and customers. Of course, the prices will be a hindrance higher but they do offer developers some financing options to help them get started.