It’s the final day of the year, and as always, this time makes one reflect on the past 12 months. I’ve penned a couple of insightful pieces where I dive into my experiences and thoughts about XR in 2024. They’re packed with information, so if you missed them, go give them a read: one covers my journey attending a bunch of XR events, while the other is a deep dive into the state of XR in 2024—spoiler, it’s got its ups and downs. Beyond perusing my posts and catching up with this week’s news, I hope you’ll bid farewell to the year by enjoying some good times with your loved ones. Happy 2025! May it bring you everything you wish for 😊
Top news of the week
Some Meta Quest headsets got bricked this Christmas
So, the festive period didn’t go exactly as planned for some Meta Quest users. The recent v72 update seems to have turned some devices into high-tech paperweights. This mostly hit those gadgets that hadn’t been updated in a while and were trying to install multiple updates at once. Owners reported seeing a boot screen message declaring the device corrupt with no possible rescue for a normal boot. Not cool, especially when these headsets were holiday gifts meant to spread joy. Unsurprisingly, this saga sparked quite a drama online.
Initially, Meta wasn’t quick to react—possibly since it was the holiday season and many staff were off. Customer support wasn’t much help either for those out of warranty. However, following a wave of complaints, Meta addressed the bug and rolled out a fix, even assisting warranty-expired users. The latest news is that affected users can request a complimentary Quest 3S replacement along with some free Horizon Store credits. In the end, Meta navigated the issue well, but this isn’t their first rodeo. They might want to rethink the timing of major updates—dropping them just before vacations isn’t exactly textbook tech management.
More info: Bricked Quest Issue | The Cursed Boot Screen | Public Outcry and Meta’s Response | Meta Fixing the Issue | Meta Offering Replacement Devices
Other relevant news
Pimax announces Dream Air compact headset
Pimax never seems to pause—it’s constantly unveiling new gear. The newest addition is the Dream Air headset, which breaks from their usual, bulkier models with wide Field of View (FOV) capabilities. Instead, Dream Air is compact, aiming at users interested in headsets like BigScreen Beyond, Visor, or MeganeX. What sets it apart? Features like hand tracking, eye tracking, auto IPD adjustment, and even a novel auto-tightening strap for a comfortable fit!
Equipped with an optional external puck, amusingly called Cobb, the headset can become a kind of standalone device. Cobb comes packed with a battery and a Snapdragon XR2 chip.
Here’s a peek at the specs, sourced from Road To VR:
- Display: 2 × micro-OLED, 100% DCI-P3 colors
- Resolution per-eye: 13MP (3,840 × 3,552)
- Max refresh rate: 90Hz
- Optics: Pancake
- Field-of-view: 102°H
- Pass-through view: Black & white
- Optical adjustments: Continuous IPD (automatic), Prescription lenses (optional)
- Connectors: DP 1.4 (PC) to USB-C (headset), 1 × USB-C accessory port
- Input: Dream Air controllers (rechargeable battery), Hand-tracking
- Audio: In-headstrap speakers
- Microphone: Dual-microphone
- Weight: 200g
- Headset-tracking: Inside-out (no external beacons), SteamVR Tracking (external beacons) [optional]
With a price tag of $1900 (plus a curious “two-year subscription” fee upfront) and a release set for mid-2025, Pimax seems confident in hitting this deadline, largely because Dream Air shares an optical engine with Crystal Super, facilitating parallel production. However, I wouldn’t be surprised by the usual delays.
Community reactions to this launch have been mixed. Some are stoked about the new addition, while others question Pimax’s constant stream of headset launches. Their public relations expert, Japp, using his Zen-like patience, addresses queries across numerous forums. Pimax also offers an extensive FAQ explaining the Dream Air’s introduction. There’s an insightful video circling around analyzing Pimax’s strategy. It suggests the company gauges PCVR community interests and swiftly churns out products with comparable features at a lower price point and quicker timelines to capture market share. This approach often bends and stretches deadlines but garners enough attention to edge out competition. Despite this, Pimax’s bold tactics often yield fruitful results—the Pimax Crystal Light is currently among the best valued PCVR headsets in the market.
Dream Air could very well be a response to the growing buzz around MeganeX SuperLight 8K. It’s also a strategic move for Pimax to explore new territory, focusing on clarity and comfort rather than just FOV—a combination that might appeal to different prosumer segments.
Let’s see what the future holds for Dream Air. Personally, I’m hopeful for a successful release, and I’ll keep you updated!
(Thanks to Rob Cole for the tip!)
More Info: Pimax Announces Dream Air | Pimax Dream Air Launch Video | Official Product Page for Dream Air | Pimax Dream Air’s FAQ | An Analysis of Pimax’s Strategy
Meta is reportedly adding a display to its Ray-Ban Meta glasses
Ray-Ban Meta stands out as one of the hits in the XR genre for 2024. Riding on this success, Meta is reportedly on the path to introducing a new model armed with a display for delivering notifications and AI-driven responses. Although it’s known that Meta has been toying with smart glasses featuring displays, what’s exciting about this revelation by the Financial Times is the mention of incorporating displays within the “Ray-Ban Meta” lineup. Initially, Luxottica, the brain behind Ray-Ban, seemed skeptical due to concerns over bulkiness. However, if these display-equipped glasses do end up coming out of Luxottica’s banner, they promise to be both stylish and accessible through a broad distribution network—a move poised to boost prospects for success considerably.
More Info: Meta Glasses Update
New devices are going to be announced at CES
CES, the colossal tech extravaganza, kicks off next week—and I’ll be there to soak it all in! Several companies are already hinting at XR-related announcements. Sony’s set to deliver a keynote on the 6th, teasing us with the line "Create Infinite Realities.” DPVR is gearing up to unveil a “mystery product,” and NVIDIA’s keynote likely signals the unveiling of the RTX 50 series cards. With a multitude of tech giants dazzling on the show floor, we’re in for quite the treat! I’ll be bringing the latest and hottest updates from the event straight to you, so stay tuned.
More Info: DPVR at CES | Sony’s CES Keynote | NVIDIA’s CES Keynote
News worth a mention
Meta Horizon app has been among the most downloaded ones in the stores
The Meta Horizon app, vital for setting up Quest headsets, topped download charts yet again this Winter holiday season. It even clinched the first spot in some national app stores—marking the third consecutive year this has happened. The trend signals healthy sales of Quest headsets over the season, bringing in a wave of good news.
More Info: Meta Horizon App Stats
Pico’s SecureMR guarantees passthrough APIs while guaranteeing privacy
During a recent event, Pico shared insights about SecureMR, their novel solution that promises passthrough analysis features while safeguarding user privacy. Developers can’t access camera frames directly, but they’re given the chance to provide Pico OS with a Machine Learning model that runs over the camera images. Developers also need to furnish rendering logic, allowing the runtime to leverage ML model results to generate user visuals under certain guidelines. For instance, an ML model might spot potatoes in the user’s view, and the render system could then animate floating stars over these identified potatoes.
This solution ensures complete privacy, ideal for consumer headsets. However, it’s a bit restrictive for developers, who often crave direct camera access rather than added complexity via ML models. Pico plans to offer early access to interested developers shortly. Technically, it’s pretty flashy, but if Meta launches passthrough APIs next year offering full frame access, Pico’s model might face challenges right out of the gate. We’ll see how things evolve in the coming weeks. (Thanks to Ivan Aguilar for the tip!)
More Info: SecureMR Insights
Magic Leap One is going to be bricked in the next days
Soon enough, all servers managing Magic Leap One headsets are getting unplugged for good. That means those fancy glasses will cease functioning entirely—a real bummer for folks who poured thousands into what was once a promising innovation for creators. Now, they sit as costly paperweights. Even more disheartening, every experience crafted for these devices will fade into oblivion, including some real gems.
More Info: Magic Leap One Update
Get LiDAR data from all over the world
Last week, I shared the news about Tokyo’s municipality generously offering up a detailed point cloud of the city for public use. Thanks to a tweet that went viral (special shoutout for quoting me!), it came to light that multiple nations have active LiDAR programs. Though these might not rival Tokyo in pinpoint accuracy, the data they yield is often publicly available. A helpful roundup of links for countries like the U.S., France, and Germany is available, potentially invaluable for those in VPS, digital twin tech, and related fields. Dive in and make good use of it.
More Info: Tokyo LiDAR Data | International LiDAR Programs | LiDAR Access Links
Road To VR picked its Games of the year
Hats off to the fabulous team at Road To VR! They’ve announced their picks for the year’s best games. Unsurprisingly, the winner on Quest is Batman: Arkham Shadow, but watch out—some other categories might surprise you.
More Info: Games of the Year
Fanatical is offering a new VR games bundle
Fanatical has rolled out the “Build your own Quest VR Bundle Winter Edition.” This allows you to choose games from a tempting collection at jaw-droppingly discounted rates. Bag two games for $17.99, four games for $34.99, or a fantastic seven for $59.99!
More Info: VR Games Bundle
Some news about content
- Warpfrog, renowned for their hit sandbox title "Blade & Sorcery," is cooking up a new game that will keep its trademark physics-based interactions and high modability.
- “Attack on Titan VR: Unbreakable” launched in its Complete Edition, boasting four chapters. While it received mixed reviews from the XR press, fans of the original saga are singing its praises.
- Game Night is shaping up as an exciting party game for Quest, combining brain-teasing challenges with adrenaline-pumping physical gameplay. The trailer promises loads of fun!
More Info: Warpfrog’s New Game | Attack On Titan VR | Game Night Trailer
Other news
- Samsung XR Headset will include Google’s Find My Device feature.
Learn more: Samsung’s New Feature
- A keen-eyed individual discovered that the animation during Quest’s startup is not just a simple video but an animated 3D model.
Learn more: Quest Startup Animation
News from partners (and friends)
Happy holidays, everyone! Although no friends have nudged me to highlight anything this holiday week, I’m using this spot to once more wish you a splendid holiday season! Click this link for some holiday magic.
Some XR fun
AI has indeed hit a wall… We’re talking about something different though in these amusing links.
Alongside these laughs:
- Pimax’s new “original” design—Giggle Here
- A fresh slice from Damo’s newspapers—Check It Out
- Zuck leveling up, maybe thanks to some secret sauce—Discover This
- Christian Steiner rugs a meme dear to XR pros—Enjoy The Meme
- Believe it or not, backing me on Patreon supposedly improves your status. Whatever that entails, enjoy these fun links: Patreon Hype / 1 / 2 / 3
Donate for good
This space is usually where I ask for a tiny bit of support for my blog, but today, I’m directing my call for donations to relief efforts in Ukraine through the Red Cross. Consider offering a bit of help through the link below. Special thanks to all my patrons for their unwavering support:
(List of Patrons)
Here’s the link to donate: Support The Red Cross in Ukraine
(Header image by Pimax)
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