The XR Week Peek (2025.06.16): Meta and Oakley to release glasses on Friday, Snap to launch Specs in 2026, and more!
A big hello from Cupertino, the city of Apple, here in the Silicon Valley! I’ll stay here a week to have meetings before going to Berlin to be a mentor at XRCC. I hope my time in the Bay Area will be nice, after the troubled week at AWE (I got sick during the event and moved across the event like a zombie in Resident Evil, in case you didn’t know). Send me good vibes, and I’ll send you a summary of the most important XR news of the week!
Top news of the week
Meta and Oakley may be launching their glasses on Friday
A few months ago, we heard the rumor that Meta and Oakley (another brand owned by EssilorLuxottica) may have launched some glasses targeted at athletes featuring a single front camera in the middle of the eyes.
Today, a new “oakleymeta” account has been created on some social media, with as its first post, a trippy video mixing the logos of Meta and Oakley. There is no further info, just the claim “The next evolution is coming on June 20”. This is an explicit hint about the launch of some Oakley Meta glasses happening this Friday.
I am a bit surprised because I was expecting this launch to happen during Meta Connect. But actually, a launch now in June may make a lot of sense. First of all, Summer is coming, and many people are going to the stores to buy sunglasses, so it’s a great moment to launch this kind of product. Then, according to rumors, at Meta Connect, Meta should launch its own smartglasses with a display in front of one eye, and launching two products at the same time, one with Luxottica, and one without, may sound very confusing for the users. So I think they chose a great moment to launch, and I’m very curious to see what this device will be about!
More info (Meta+Oakley upcoming launch — Road To VR)
More info (Meta+Oakley upcoming launch — Upload VR)
Other relevant news
Snap to launch new Spectacles in 2026
At AWE, Evan Spiegel, the CEO of Snap, announced during his keynote that Snap is going to launch a new edition of the Spectacles glasses in 2026.
These glasses should feature important differences with the ones launched this year: they should have “a much smaller form factor, at a fraction of the weight, with a ton more capability”. They will start looking like a real product and not just a devkit, and in fact, they should have a public launch, being finally available for everyone (current editions of Spectacles are available only to creators). The company is underlining these big changes by giving the product a new name: the glasses won’t be “Spectacles” anymore, but they will just be “Specs”.
We have no specs (pun intended) about the device, but we know that they will be compatible with all the lenses that have been created until now. This means that this new device will launch on Day 1 being compatible with the 4M lenses available on Snapchat.
This is a very important announcement, also because if no one beats Snap to the punch, these Specs may be the first standalone AR glasses launched by an important brand. It may mark the beginning of the AR race.
More info (Snap to launch Specs in 2026 — Road To VR)
More info (Snap to launch Specs in 2026 — Upload VR)
More info (Snap to launch Specs in 2026 — The Ghost Howls)
Qualcomm launches AR1+ chip
At AWE, Qualcomm has announced a new chipset of the AR family: it is called AR1+ and it is meant to produce high-end smartglasses.
Apart from consuming 7% less power and allowing up to 20% height reduction of the glasses’ temples with regard to the previous AR1 model (used in Ray-Ban Meta), the most important feature of this chipset is that it allows for AI models with up to 1B parameters to run locally on the device.
This means that these glasses can provide some AI features completely locally, without your request leaving the device. This is huge for privacy: if your data never leaves the device, then your data is safe and not shared with any data-harvesting company. Of course, the glasses can’t run huge Large Language Models, which still require tons of GPUs on the cloud to work, but Small Language Models, which still provide decent answers in some contexts.
Qualcomm made a demo of this feature, with a virtual assistant featuring speech recognition, text-to-speech, and a Llama small model running fully on the device on the AWE stage. I was there and I was literally in awe (pun intended) while watching it.
More info (Qualcomm launches AR1+ chip)
More info (Video of the AI demo happened on the AWE stage)
Some extra info on Moohan, Beam, and other Google’s XR technologies
This week we had some additional info related to the XR technologies that Google showed at Google I/O:
- According to some rumors, Samsung may announce the launch date of Project Moohan at an Unpacked event next month
- HP is ready to offer an enterprise-oriented teleconferencing device based on the Google Beam technology (previously known as Project Starlight). It is going to be called HP Dimension, and it is said to use six cameras and state-of-the-art AI to create a realistic 3D video of each participant, displayed on a special 65-inch light field display with realistic size, depth, color, and eye contact. The device is being launched at the end of this year for $25,000. The fun thing is that for this huge amount of money, you don’t get the license of Google Beam, which should be purchased separately. I envision this as the most popular Christmas gift for this holiday season. I’m personally going to buy six
- XREAL shared some info about its upcoming Project Aura glasses at AWE. The glasses will be connected to a puck running Android XR, and so the applications that will be built for Project Moohan will also work on these glasses. But what is mostly surprising is that these glasses should feature an impressive 70° field of view, which goes to match the 70° promised by Meta Orion. XREAL uses a much simpler technology than Orion, but having that field of view is going to be very good for its users anyway
- Google has announced at AWE that the tools to develop for AR glasses and smartglasses based on Android XR are going to be released at the end of the year. Finally, we developers will be able to start creating for the most hyped devices of the moment!
More info (Project Moohan’s launch date — Road To VR)
More info (Project Moohan’s launch date — Upload VR)
More info (HP to launch Dimension based on Google Beam)
More info (XREAL unveils the field of view of Project Aura)
More info (Dev tools for Android XR glasses are coming soon)
Some extra info on Apple’s technologies after WWDC
Last week, I talked about the latest from Apple’s WWDC, with all the main updates coming to Vision Pro, like improved personas, colocated AR experiences, and PSVR 2 controllers. The days after that, we had some further info about these pieces of news, and it is worth sharing them with you here:
- Apple released more details about the Widgets system. Widgets can be anchored to walls and they can look like paper posters or just be illuminated widgets. They can be elevated over the wall or embossed into it. They may come in different colors. They may show a simplified version when you are distant from them and a detailed one when you are close to them
- Soon, the pages of the applications on the Vision OS store will specify whether for running that application the PSVR 2 controllers are not required, optional, or mandatory. This will help users understand if they can play a game even if they don’t have the PS controllers. In the meantime, we have the first game with official support for PSVR 2 controllers: it is Pickle Pro by Resolution Games. Also, ALVR, the PCVR streaming solution, has just added support for PSVR 2 controllers. I think it’s good that Apple is offering this possibility, so more games can be implemented for (or ported to) the Apple Vision Pro. The problem, though, is that controllers are optional and have to be bought separately, so the number of people having Vision Pro with PSVR 2 controllers is going to be a niche inside a niche. Developers that are going to release content supporting controllers should be aware of this and ask themselves if it financially makes sense to release a game for such a small market
- Adobe is making an immersive app to edit spatial videos
- In VisionOS 26, Apple is increasing the platform’s memory limit, and the company claims this enables “high-end iPad games” on Vision Pro. This means some additional good content (like Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Resident Evil Village) is becoming compatible with the device soon.
More info (Updates to visionOS 26)
More info (Additional info on Widgets)
More info (PSVR 2 controllers being optional or required in games)
More info (Pickle Pro is the first game supporting PSVR 2 controllers)
More info (ALVR to support PSVR 2 controllers)
More info (PSVR 2 controllers support may be a game changer for Vision Pro)
More info (Adobe is making an app to edit spatial videos)
More info (Vision Pro to get iPad games)
News worth a mention
Mbucchia is working on a SteamVR driver for WMR headsets
Matthieu Bucchianeri, also known with the nickname of “mbucchia” is working on a SteamVR driver to give new life to all WMR headsets that have been made useless by the latest Windows 11 update. The driver will be called “Oasis” and it won’t be released open-source so that mbucchia is sure is not revealing any IP that is under NDA for him (he currently works at Microsoft). Mbucchia is a sort of legend in our field, and what he’s doing is another incredible work that is going to benefit the whole community. He deserves a prize!
Some of the features of the new Meta headset may have been exposed by data mining
Data miners may have discovered a few features about the upcoming Meta headset, codenamed Puffin (or Loma). The device should feature automatic IPD adjustment, face unlock, and MicroOLED panels. Automatic IPD adjustment and face unlock hint at the presence of eye tracking, too. These are all interesting features that I hope will actually be present in the upcoming headset.
Palmer Luckey unveils something about the upcoming Eagle Eye headset
Speaking at AWE, Palmer Luckey unveiled something about the upcoming Eagle Eye headset he’s building for the military sector at his company Anduril. More than actual specs, he explained the philosophy behind it: since he’s not building a device for consumers, he can operate with very high prices, because the death of a soldier or the failure of a mission are worth more than a 1000€ price difference on a headset worn by the soldiers. He unveiled that his headset may cost more than $10K and feature a resolution that is much higher than that of the Apple Vision Pro.
The reason why he partnered with Meta is that he thinks that Meta already did a lot of research related to manufacturing headsets and would make no sense for Anduril to reinvent the wheel on that.
Spatial Computing features are coming to OpenXR
The Khronos Group, which is responsible for managing the OpenXR standard, has proposed the introduction of new features related to spatial computing inside the standard. We are talking about Plane Tracking, Marking Tracking, Spatial Anchors, and Cross-Section Persistence. It would be great to have them to easily create cross-platform augmented reality and mixed reality experiences.
(Thanks Tom Ffiske for the tip via your newsletter)
Some hands-on from AWE
AWE is over, but many articles about the products showcased there are still being published. Let me share with you some articles written by me and an interesting roundup of techs.
More info (My hands-on with XelerateVR)
More info (My hands-on with Infinadeck)
More info (The best 7 gadgets from AWE according to Tom’s Guide)
Some news about content
- Ndreams shared some additional details regarding its upcoming game “Reach”
- Flat2VR shared more details about its upcoming game RoboQuest VR
- Vertigo Games shared more details about the upcoming game Thief VR: Legacy Of Shadow
- What Comes After aims to deliver a post-apocalyptic experience with an emphasis on “emotional storytelling and community.” It is coming “soon” for Quest and SteamVR
- VR MMORPG Ilysia is moving to a free-to-play model this summer. It didn’t end much well for the other MMORPG trying this route, so I hope this time it will be different
- Le Mans Ultimate, an official game for the FIA World Endurance Championship, enters full release on July 22 on SteamVR
- The new game Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic will receive VR support post-release
- Dreams of Another, the next entry in the PixelJunk series focused on the philosophical theme “no creation without destruction”, has an exclusive VR-only first-person mode on PlayStation VR2. The team also got interviewed by Upload VR about its upcoming game
- Omega Pilot Evolution is a high-speed VR futuristic racing game heading to Quest, Pico, and PlayStation VR2 in November 2025
- It seems that the horror game Soma is getting a VR remake
- The popular game I Am Cat is getting a multiplayer mode
- Upload VR shared its usual XR News Roundup article with some minor XR news inside
More info (Reach)
More info (RoboQuest VR)
More info (Thief VR)
More info (What Comes After)
More info (Ilysia)
More info (Le Mans Ultimate)
More info (Five Nights At Freddy’s: Secret Of The Mimic)
More info (Dreams Of Another — First Person Mode)
More info (Dreams Of Another — Interview)
More info (Omega Pilot Evolution)
More info (SOMA)
More info (I Am Cat)
More info (XR News Roundup)
Some reviews about content
- Zombie Army VR got “ok” reviews: the game has good graphics and a good amount of zombie variety, but it seems in the long run the game becomes a bit repetitive, and its interactions don’t feel studied super-well for VR
- Hidden Memories of The Gardens Between is an immensely charming game, but it probably would benefit from some more VR-oriented interactions
- What The Car is another fun game from Triband. It is cool that on Vision Pro it puts a big playing machine in Mixed Reality in your living room and lets you play the game in it
- Jigsaw Night is a game that lets you play Jigsaw with the members of your family in mixed reality. It works fairly well
- Little Thief has very disappointing gameplay and interactions and is in need of heavy improvements
- Reach seems a very promising action game from the preview that Upload VR had. It has lots of parkour-like movements, and this may be a potential problem for people who suffer from motion sickness
- Exer Gale lets you fly in VR by moving your arms, which is fun, but is also tiresome in the long run
- Connectome reinvents connect-the-dots for immersive realities. It feels very relaxing
More info (Zombie Army VR — Road To VR)
More info (Zombie Army VR — Upload VR)
More info (Hidden Memories Of The Garden Between)
More info (What The Car)
More info (Jigsaw night)
More info (Little Thief)
More info (Reach)
More info (Exer Gale)
More info (Connectome)
Other news
Boz said that Meta released v77 of its runtime notwithstanding its QA fail, because of some reasons he can not disclose
An interesting application to record and re-live your best memories
A Youtuber played all the VR games of Steam Next Fest and reviewed them
The teardown of the BigScreen Beyond 2
News from partners (and friends)
Discover Umbrella Up
The first VR game from indie studio MonstarAI, Umbrella Up, is launching soon.
In this whimsical traversal adventure, you’ll glide, climb, and bounce your way through vibrant theme parks using only a pair of umbrellas.
With intuitive physics-based movement and playful level design, the game offers a fresh, satisfying challenge for VR gamers.
Get the game on the Meta Store
Participate in this AR/VR Survey!
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Some XR fun
The real reason for the riots in the USA
Funny link
Silicon Valley knew it
Funny link
The best interior design ever
Funny link
Donate for good
Like last week, also this week in this final paragraph I won’t ask you to donate to my blog, but to the poor people who are facing the consequences of the war. Please donate to the Red Cross to handle the current humanitarian situation in Ukraine. I will leave you the link to do that below.
Let me take a moment before to thank anyway all my Patreon donors for the support they give to me:
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