Windows comments on the discontinuation of Windows Mixed Reality: VR headsets likely to become electronic waste in the long term

[Redaktion]

Windows is discontinuing Windows Mixed Reality, which means that numerous headsets will potentially become electronic waste in the long term. The discontinuation is also likely to have a profound impact on Microsoft's VR strategy and the platform's chances of success.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Windows-comments-on-the-discontinuation-of-Windows-Mixed-Reality-VR-headsets-likely-to-become-electronic-waste-in-the-long-term.786930.0.html

[Sinocelt]

Microsoft is known for launching products with great fanfare, providing them with lukewarm support, then dropping them entirely. As a result, both developpers* and hardware manufacturers have become reluctant to invest in Microsoft's new creations, with the result that Microsoft drops them even faster, creating a vicious circle.

* I remember when Office was updated for iPhone long before it was updated for the Windows Phone, at the same time as Microsoft was trying to convince developper to make apps for the Windows Phone. If WP wasn't a priority even for Microsoft, who else was going to believe in it?

[Vrvly]

Mixed reality headsets are the next lvl of phones.
Standalone VR devices with AR support is the next big thing.
Just need to add a good cameras and there is no reason to not buy 100" screen with plenty of space for 10+ cameras, 3D info sharing and ads, hands free recording, maybe even more safe as you won't look down on the phone.

[SirWolf]

Windows Mixed Reality devices will still be able to work with Steam after this deadline as long as they are not updated to a Windows version without WMR support

I thought I was going to read a sentence like, no worries, Steam VR will pick up support even if WMR is no longer present on the system, but I was wrong. We don't even know if at least they will leave WMR on Windows 10.

Despite the feedback they got, I am very disappointed with how Microsoft handles the situation, and how our devices are still turned into paperweight. Already I was not too fond of Windows Phone, and now I will hate WMR too.

WMR had such great potential because WMR devices are not just ordinary devices, they are ones that just need a WMR driver. That means games would more likely support a WMR device than a random one. Now that is gone too.

[Dirk W]

Thinking about when they stopped windows mobile, totally missed out on and never came back to the smartphone OS business.

[Alex2580]

Even if it's not in the next couple of years, void is the future. Adoption has been slow due to VR/MR devices being released when the technology just wasn't there yet. They were/are too big and clunky, the resolution wasn't very clear, and people getting motion sickness. When those things improve even further (this recent generation has made great strides), this will be the future and not just for games.

There is no other technology before it that will be dominant. It can be a computer, game console, large monitors, 100+ inch screen, and workout device all in one and do those things very well

[A]

Adoption has been slow due to VR/MR devices being released when the technology just wasn't there yet

Maybe more like due to them inducing insta-nausea in ±40% of people and nausea in 1-2 hrs in ±20-30% more.

[MCSE Guy]

Thinking about when they stopped windows mobile, totally missed out on and never came back to the smartphone OS business.

They missed out before Windows Mobile. The competition lapped them while they were still trying to figure out how make Windows run on a tiny device with Windows CE. They bought Nokia and had a decent build up in Europe with Windows Mobile, but discontinued everything because nobody made apps etc and the platform was running a distant 4th place to Blackberry, Android, and iOS at the time. It's the same problem with VR. It's an emerging platform still that will take a ton of R&D capital to get right, but the reward will be market dominance if a company can drive adoption outside a comparatively small number of enthusiasts.

Microsoft doesn't care about consumer and client platforms as much these days. They want to dominate cloud services for businesses.

[Elmo]

VR will go the way of 3D TV.

[A]

VR will go the way of 3D TV

3D TVs went "that way" mostly only because big screen cinemas were opposing them.

[Javell]

Are we forgetting hololens here. They just came out with the hololens 2 which is definitely a Vr/Ar Device made by windows.

[Skalamanga]

Are we forgetting hololens here. They just came out with the hololens 2 which is definitely a Vr/Ar Device made by windows.

The hololens 2 is 4 years old..,

[Skalamanga]

VR will go the way of 3D TV.

3d TV will be back when people own 150"+ usd projectors and 6dof tracking systems.

It was pointless on a 50" TV.

[Skalamanga]

The driver for the tracking system needs to be open sourced to these headsets can be repurposed.

[A nonymous]

Taking the driver out is dumb. You can still download and reinstall drivers for Oculus rift even though it is not currently supported by Meta. I did this this week, even. It doesn't have to be ewaste if they just leave the binaries up and don't touch them, and let steamvr bridge the gap.