I’m back in Italy, but I’m still thinking about the beautiful days I had at Meta Connect. And talking about Connect, I want to thank the many people who are still writing me some kind words related to my interview with Boz. It seems that the description of all the emotions I felt resonated with many of you, and this makes me very happy. I am blushing reading your nice compliments.
Talking about XR news, this week we can take a breath after the past few weeks where there have been a lot of important announcements. There has been no game-changing news: it’s still worth reading what happened, so don’t abandon this post :), but you’ll find nothing major.
Top news of the week
Samsung glasses get FCC approval
The glasses that Samsung is building with Google and Qualcomm just got approval from the FCC. Two distinct product codes, SM-O200P and SM-O200J have appeared in FCC filings, one for the glasses with Gentle Monster and the other for Warby Parker. Both glasses have similar functionality, but they are two distinct products made by two distinct companies, so they require two distinct FCC clearances.
The approval by the FCC is one of the last steps before commercialization in the US. This makes me think that between now and the end of November, Samsung will officially launch these glasses. This means we’ll see another cool product going to the market in this already pretty crowded autumn 2026.
I’m following this launch with a lot of interest. Meta is the clear market leader for what concerns smart glasses, and no company is even close to its sales numbers in the West. Will Samsung now and Apple later be able to actually challenge Meta? And will these companies be able to avoid the “pervert glasses” reputation? I guess only time can tell…
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Other relevant news
Snap opened its first SPECS pop-up
Snap opened its first pop-up at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. People can go and try the glasses there until November 7th.
I think this is a great initiative because AR glasses must be tried to be understood. Just photos and videos don’t do them justice. So giving people in LA the opportunity to actually go to a place, try the glasses, and also speak with the team is a great thing to increase awareness related to AR and its potential. For this reason, I hope this is just one of many pop-ups Snap opens in the future.
There is another reason why I loved reading about this event: looking at the photos and videos, I could see it looked like a glam event. There was Evan Spiegel, and there were also some celebrities, like famous actors. The opening event was really made in true LA style. This is important to position the glasses as something cool. As much as I’m a proud nerd, I think we need to show people that these XR devices are not just “stuff for gamers and nerds”, but stylish gadgets that people desire to have on their face. And a glam event is exactly a good way to position the glasses in the right way.
It’s a pity I wasn’t there. Now I have to wait for Snap to open a pop-up in Turin, Italy…
More info (Opening event of SPECS pop-up — Linkedin Post)
More info (Opening event of SPECS pop-up — X Post)
The perceived FOV of Meta VR Glasses sparks new debates in the community
Meta VR Glasses are the most debated XR device of the moment. Some people praise the small and lightweight form factor, while others hate that this form factor has been achieved at the expense of immersion. I wrote an editorial about it, highlighting how a VR device nowadays can’t be for everyone: some compromises are needed, and these compromises are going to make someone angry.
An article on Mixed News put gasoline on this fire: the article reported information from the official Meta documentation for the VR Glasses, in which the company suggests designing the experiences for a 58°x54° FOV. The VR Glasses have a 70°x66° FOV, but that is the nominal FOV, that is the FOV you have in ideal conditions. But if your eyes are not very close to the lenses because of the shape of your face, or you wear glasses, the FOV you see is actually lower than the nominal one. This is something that is true for every headset: that’s why headsets like the Valve Index have the eye-relief knob and allow you to always keep the lenses very close to your eyes. But in a headset that already has a low FOV, have a real one that is even lower is a serious problem. Some people may have the full 70°x66° FOV, but others may perceive a FOV as low as 58°x54°, and so have a subpar experience.
Hardcore VR enthusiasts were already disappointed at a 70° FOV; reading about 58° made them really angry and so they started writing ironic posts on social media. Meta fanboys and fans of the new form factor jumped on the discussion, saying that this reduction of FOV is normal and regards every headset. It was the right moment to put some popcorn in the microwave and scroll my X/Twitter feed…
More info (Perceived FOV on Meta VR Glasses)
More info (My editorial on the Meta VR Glasses)
News worth a mention
Some INMO Air3 smart glasses units have been recalled
Some batches of INMO Air3 smart glasses have been recalled because of multiple reports of overheating, with a “burning sensation” felt on the face by its users. The company is also issuing a software update to reduce the problem, probably by reducing the burden on the computational unit.
This issue shows once more how complicated it is to build smart glasses that should cram many functionalities in a very small form factor.
(News found on Tom Ffiske’s newsletter)
Horizon+ subscription now also includes add-ons for games
Meta Quest Horizon+ subscription offers its users many games to play for a relatively small monthly fee. The offering has always been about games, but this month, Meta has also begun adding game add-ons included in the price. This month, in fact, Meta added Horizon+ cosmetics and in-game currency to spend in Orion Drift, the massively multiplayer game from the makers of Gorilla Tag. This is definitely a welcome update.
Arcturus Vision Camera review
Road To VR reviewed the Arcturus Vision Camera that adds high-res RGB passthrough to the Steam Frame. The review is dead simple: this is a MUST-BUY accessory for the Steam Frame. It has a relatively low price, it is well-engineered, and it adds various functionalities to the headset. This doesn’t feel like an accessory, but more like something that should have been embedded in the device.
Two original apps for smartglasses
It is hard to think about interesting applications for smartglasses, because many of the most important use cases (translation, note-taking, etc…) have already been covered by the manufacturers. That’s why I’ve found it interesting to read on Upload VR about two smartglasses apps that propose something original.
The first app is Body Proxy, which is a storytelling/artistic experience. It simulates a future controlled by AI, where we humans are just “human agents” to whom AI gives tasks (the fun part is that this is the opposite of what happens today). The app tests how good you are in making these tasks: the experience provides you with some weird tasks you do, and you have to carry them out, usually in a fun way. The app checks via the camera if you completed the stupid task, and in the meantime you and the people around you are having a lot of fun. I would love to try this, not gonna lie.
The second app is Liminal, which provides “walking meditation” via smart glasses. The app lets you walk around, then it uses the camera to see some objects that are around you and create some AI-generated relaxing sentences that are emitted through the speakers of the glasses. It is an interesting concept that is able to enhance your experience of going out for a walk to relax.
More info (Body Proxy)
More info (Liminal)
AI mods and portings are continuing to make strides
AI-made XR mods and portings are literally flooding our space, for the joy of XR enthusiasts. I’m not mentioning this every week because it would be very repetitive news: it is now the norm of our space.
This week we had two new VR mods which are bringing joy to our community: Max Payne 2, and especially Titanfall 2, which many XR people are falling in love with.
But I’ve seen other cool videos or announcements, like a very cool mod to play Mario Kart Wii on the Apple Vision Pro, where the passthrough of the hands makes the experience even more realistic. Or an emulator to play PSVR games like Dreams or Astro Bot Rescue Mission (10/10 on Road To VR!) on PC VR or Meta Quest.
What a time to be alive…
More info (Titanfall 2 VR mod — Road To VR)
More info (Titanfall 2 VR mod — Reddit)
More info (Max Payne 2 VR mod)
More info (Mario Kart on AVP)
More info (Astro Bot on PCVR)
Some news about content
- A new teaser trailer has been released, which gives a first look at gameplay from the upcoming VR/MR game Evangelion: Δ Cross Reflections.
- Traffix XR: Cities of Tomorrow is a mini motorway management game coming to Quest 3 on October 15
- Sega has released a teaser video revealing a new, large-scale VR arcade attraction called “The House of the Dead: Reawakened”. It will be showcased at IAAPA Expo in November
- Arizona Truck Driver is an open road trucker simulation coming to Quest standalone in Early Access this October
More info (Evangelion: Δ Cross Reflections)
More info (Traffix XR: Cities of Tomorrow)
More info (The House of the Dead: Reawakened)
More info (Arizona Truck Driver)
Some reviews about content
- Tiny Flock is a very cute puzzle game that has been well designed
- World Of Red Bull gives Apple Vision Pro users an immersive video experience about the world of surfing
- Open Season On Draymond Green is a very intimate experience that allows you to see a basketball player speaking with his psychologist
- Evangelion: Δ Cross Reflections is a very promising experience that gives natural interactions via hand tracking and haptic immersion via a bHaptics suit.
More info (Tiny Flock)
More info (World of Red Bull)
More info (Open Season on Draymond Green)
More info (Evangelion: Δ Cross Reflections)
Other news
Mighty Coconut is performing new layoffs
Meta published some interesting guidelines for designing interfaces that use eye tracking
Some XR fun
The debate about Meta VR Glasses explained with cats
Funny link
Goodbye base stations
Funny link
Wall-E was right after all…
Funny link
A thank you and an invite
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