Microsoft HoloLens 2.0 Has a Secret Codename, Release Date, & Major Price Change, Report Says

With all the talk about the impending release of the Magic Leap One, some have forgotten a very important, competing release on the near horizon: the HoloLens 2.0. Well, now we have new information that tells us when (roughly) the device will be released, as well as a few other exciting tidbits.

Code-named Sydney within Microsoft, the device will be cheaper than the original (which costs $3,000), be lighter in weight, and more comfortable to wear, according to a new report from Thurrott.

Citing documents that disclose some of the vital details around the next generation HoloLens, the report also claims that the device will arrive in Q1 of 2019. Additionally, the report claims that the new version of the HoloLens will also feature "significantly improved holographic displays."

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Interestingly, regarding Microsoft's priorities, the documents cited also describe the augmented reality and VR space as "a must-win market." Just a few years ago, such a notion might have been laughed off by many Microsoft watchers, but given the hype surrounding the Magic Leap One, which is set to be released this year, the HoloLens is potentially facing stiff competition in a space it largely pioneered over the last several years.

Add to that the fact that many new players are beginning to nip at the heels of the HoloLens with cheaper, somewhat less immersive options, and it's becoming clear that to compete, the HoloLens will have to change in several important ways.

Earlier reports this year revealed the Sydney codename as well as some of the optical improvements, but this new report pegs the release date to a more specific time frame and buttresses all the information with the added mention of documents that back up the details.

Hopefully, the biggest barrier to the HoloLens for most users — price — will indeed match the claims made in this latest, unconfirmed report. In the meantime, Microsoft will have plenty of time to watch the 2018 reaction to the Magic Leap One and adjust its product accordingly.