Microsoft's HoloLens costs more than other VR devices, like the HTC Vive, as pre-orders for the device open. The tech community might see Sony VR gloves enter the VR market soon.
Microsoft has opened the HoloLens for pre-orders targeting developers, reported GearBrain. The company plans to ship the first batch of orders by March 30. The HoloLens will come bundled with a few apps and games for customers to enjoy. The developer kit is estimated to have a price of $3,000, as per Reddit announcement.
Meanwhile, the HTC Vive is also open for pre-orders with a lower price of $799. The Vive headset is expected to hit the market by early April.
The Microsoft HoloLens leans more to augmented reality gaming than virtual reality. This means that the HoloLens takes the real environment of the user and adds more elements to it. Game Rant suggested that the Microsoft HoloLens may have a hard time competing with other emerging purely VR devices, such as the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.
Microsoft has not provided much information on the HoloLens except for a few technical demos and promises. It was reported that if the HoloLens fails to stand out from its competitors and offer something new for users, it might not succeed in the VR market. There are speculations that the HoloLens will instead focus on content and provide different kinds of uses apart from other VR headsets.
The VR market continues to heat up as more companies are exploring this niche. Lawyer Herald reported that Sony is also planning to release a PlayStation VR. With a probable price range of $400 -$600, the PlayStation VR may be able to dominate the VR market as the cheapest available VR gaming device.
Sony is also rumored to be working on a pair of haptic gloves as VR accessories. There is word that Sony filed a patent for a VR device in 2014 that enables users to hold objects in a virtual reality game. Sony's VR gloves could launch alongside the PlayStation VR.
