The XR Weekly Update (April 8, 2025): Meta’s New Smart Glasses Priced at $1400, US Tariff Concerns, and More!

Although the XR space hasn’t been bustling with activity lately, this past week brought the usual hilarity of April Fool’s Day to liven things up a bit. There has also been some intriguing news to digest. Here’s a quick wrap-up of the latest happenings in XR, so you don’t miss out on anything noteworthy.

Highlights of the Week

Meta’s New Smartglasses on the Horizon

In an unexpected twist, a Bloomberg report shed light on Meta’s potential plans for new smartglasses due this year. Known internally as Hypernova, these glasses are a bulky version of previous Ray-Ban models with a display that presents visual information to one eye, set low in your line of vision. Commands can be given via capacitive touch or a special wristband. Rumored improvements include a camera similar to an iPhone 13. Notably, the glasses will bear Meta’s branding instead of Ray-Ban, which could be puzzling given Ray-Ban’s fashion appeal. Even more surprising is the speculated price range of $1,000-$1,400—quite steep for glasses primarily aimed at viewing phone notifications or capturing photos and videos. At such a high price point, it’s hard to predict who will be drawn to purchase these, other than perhaps developers seeking to experiment with new tech.

References: Road To VR, Upload VR, Forbes

XR and April Fool’s Shenanigans

This year, quite a few in the XR community joined in on the April Fool’s Day fun. Notably, I cheekily announced Decagear’s launch, while Sebastian Ang from MRTV dramatically claimed to be Pimax’s new CEO. Nintendo dabbled too, teasing a Synapse 2 game exclusively for Google Cardboard. But my favorite comes from Razer, unveiling a fictional headset that ‘translates’ Gen Z speak to adult lingo and vice versa—funny and oddly practical.

Fun pranks to check out: Decagear announcement, MRTV announcement, VooDoo DE’s device preview, Synapse 2, Gen Z translator by Razer

New US Tariffs May Hike XR Headset Prices

Amid global market jitters, new tariffs from the U.S. have raised concerns. If these tariffs persist, we might see a bump in the cost of gadgets like XR headsets. For instance, once Meta clears its existing stockpile, the Quest 3S could see a price increase to $500. Given that XR headsets are more of a luxury than necessity, a rise in price might hinder sales and further slow the sector’s already stagnant growth. Let’s hope for a temporary situation.

Considerations: Effects on XR headsets, broader electronic market impacts

Additional Notable Developments

Apple Updates Vision Pro with New Features

VisionOS has reached version 2.4, bringing with it Apple Intelligence for text proofreading and summarization, a gallery for engaging immersive content, and an updated guest experience for Vision Pro users.

Further Reading: VisionOS 2.4 updates on Road To VR, Upload VR

Contrasting Fortunes for Quest

When it comes to Quest’s ecosystem, it’s a tale of two stories: On one hand, titles like Gorilla Tag and I Am Cat are flying off virtual shelves, with Animal Company topping $100K in revenues. On the flip side, some developers face declining market share and financial pressures. Worryingly, Meta’s reported spending on Horizon Store remains unchanged from a year ago, indicating a slowdown.

Insights: Quest revenues and game successes

Tech Tidbits

• Nintendo Labo and Switch 2: The new Switch is incompatible with the previous Nintendo Labo accessory due to size differences.
• PSVR 2 on PC: Developers are successfully working to make the PSVR 2’s eye-tracking feature PC-compatible.
• Quest Community Creativity: Developers are doing astounding things with camera access, from voxelized environments to MR drones.

Discover More: Nintendo Switch 2 details, PSVR 2 compatibility efforts, Quest camera innovations

Fascinating Innovation: Haptic Skin

Researchers are working on a delicate synthetic skin that offers nuanced haptic feedback through inflation and deflation, though market arrival is still distant.

Research Progression: Advanced haptic skin developments

Indulge in VR Creativity

Ruff Talk VR’s showcase event highlighted some brilliant indie VR games, showcasing the creative spirit thriving in the community. Check out the entire event if you want to see these gems for yourself.

Showcase Highlights: Ruff Talk VR

As always, thank you to our community and supporters. For those interested in aiding a good cause, consider donating to assist the humanitarian effort in Ukraine through the Red Cross. Every bit helps communities in need.

Support Link: Donate to the Red Cross in Ukraine

(Header by Razer)

This blog operates with ads and affiliate links to sustain itself. Clicking on an affiliate link may result in a small commission for your purchase, allowing me to continue providing more updates. You can find a detailed disclosure here.