The XR Weekly Update (04/08/2025): Meta’s Potential $1400 Smartglasses, Concerns Over US Tariffs, and More!

So, it’s been a relatively quiet spell for the XR scene, but oh, did April Fool’s Day add some buzz this past week! Plus, a few eyebrow-raising developments have caught my attention that I can’t wait to share in this latest update. Hang tight as we dive into it, ensuring you catch all the juicy details happening right now in the XR universe. 🙂

The Big Stories This Week

Meta’s New Smart Glasses: Could Set You Back $1,400

An intriguing scoop from Bloomberg spills the beans on Meta’s plans for their upcoming smart glasses, which caught me off guard. Dubbed "Hypernova," this new model is said to be a more robust version of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, featuring a singular display for one eye. To prevent a cluttered view, these visual cues are tucked away in the lower part of your field of vision, so you’ll need to glance downwards intentionally to see them. They’re controllable via capacitive temples or a neural wristband and come with a camera upgrade reminiscent of the 2021 iPhone 13. Meta has also mapped out a 2027 release for a dual-display version—one for each eye. This wasn’t unexpected since it aligns with what we anticipated for this tech’s evolution.

What did throw me, though, was the branding strategy. They’re shedding the Ray-Ban name, opting solely for Meta branding. It’s puzzling, considering the stylish appeal of Ray-Ban and the robust EssilorLuxottica distribution. The wallet-friendly price tag of earlier models was another win, but alas, that seems to be changing too. Costing between $1,000 and $1,400, these glasses don’t exactly scream necessity—they’re mainly for receiving phone notifications or taking photos and videos. I’m doubtful people will part with such a hefty sum for these extras unless they boast an Apple logo. So, who typically splurges on devices during their initial rollout? Developers, of course. We’re ever eager to tinker with fresh hardware, eyeing that early-adopter advantage. However, even this crowd may hesitate since Meta reportedly curates the app selection, leaving little room for our creativity.

Time will tell if Bloomberg got it right, but if true, these findings leave me puzzled about the target audience. Photography enthusiasts can stick with Ray-Ban Meta, while tech-savvy developers may pivot to more open smart glasses from brands like Brilliant Labs. And quick phone updates? A smartwatch does the job nicely. Combined, these alternatives might run you less than Hypernova’s steep price tag.

For more on Hypernova, dive into reports from Road To VR, Upload VR, and Forbes.

Other Noteworthy News

April Fool’s Day Shenanigans Galore in the XR World

April Fool’s Day finally saw a flurry of mischief beyond the few usual culprits, myself included. This year, many enthusiasts and companies jumped in with hilariously audacious announcements for April 1st. Highlights? I "launched" the Decagear while Sebastian Ang from MRTV humorously announced he was Pimax’s new CEO. Ndreams teased a Synapse 2 exclusively for Google Cardboard, and Voodoo DE previewed a futuristic contraption. Beyond the XR niche, the broader tech world joined in on the fun. Razer’s hair-brained prank, the Razer Skibidi, claimed to translate anything into Gen Z speak. A tool like that might actually be a godsend for bewildered grownups trying to decipher Gorilla Tag’s cacophony…

Check out some favorites here: My Decagear and Pimax antics, Sebastian Ang’s CEO reveal, VooDoo DE’s reveal, Synapse 2 for Google Cardboard.

New US Tariffs: A Looming Price Hike for Headsets?

We’re navigating a tumultuous time for global stock markets, all due to fresh tariffs rolled out by the US. The endgame remains unclear—are the tariffs permanent or merely a negotiation tactic? If they persist, it’s troubling news for electronics, headsets included. These tariffs will hike component costs, forcing US companies with Asian ties to likely pass costs onto consumers. Post-Quest 3S stock depletion, for instance, the price might surge to $500.

Given that VR headsets aren’t yet essential, any price increases will stifle sales, potentially delaying XR’s mainstream breakthrough. Fingers crossed, this disruption is short-lived—any prolonged impact will challenge us all.

Further details: Possible XR impacts from tariffs, Tariffs hitting computer markets, Chip tariffs might follow suit.

Notable Developments

Apple Unveils Apple Intelligence for Vision Pro

The Vision Pro updated to VisionOS 2.4, ushering in exciting enhancements:

• A broader Apple Intelligence rollout adds proofreading, rewriting, summarization, and image creation tools.
• Spatial Gallery showcases vivid, immersive photos and videos.
• New companion app features for Vision Pro (perhaps Meta saw this coming).
• Improved guest use, with the Vision Pro owner managing guest settings via the companion app and controlling mirroring capabilities.

Catch the full update at Road To VR and Upload VR.

Quest: A Mixed Bag of News

Despite contradictory reports, some signs suggest the Quest ecosystem is thriving while others tell a different story. Popular recent titles include Gorilla Tag and I Am Cat, alongside the massive success of Animal Company, which just hit $100K on the Quest Store, possibly surpassing Gorilla Tag.

Conversely, some developers are losing market traction, layoffs are mounting, and financial support appears dwindled. At GDC, Meta heralded $2B in spending on Horizon Store—but unsettlingly, it’s reported unchanged from over a year ago. Could an influx of young gamers favoring free-to-play games be the reason behind Quest’s changing revenue landscape?

More insights: Quest’s $2B milestone, Top-performing games on Quest, Animal Company’s $100K achievement.

Nintendo Labo Doesn’t Fit Switch 2

This week’s chatter revolves around Nintendo Switch 2, but XR fans should beware: Its bigger screen spells trouble for Nintendo Labo compatibility, leaving owners of the beloved accessory out of luck as Nintendo shows no current signs of updating Labo for the Switch 2.

Hacker Community Unlocks PSVR 2 Eye Tracking for PC

A developer going by "whatdahopper" has crafted a prototype capable of reading PSVR 2 eye-tracking data on PC. Partnering with iVRy (you might remember them for their PSVR 2 PC adapter), they’re pushing boundaries together. If successful, PSVR 2 could become the most affordable headset with eye-tracking, a game-changer not only for VRChat enthusiasts but also for research entities exploring eye interaction tech.

See more: PSVR 2 eye tracking on PC breakthroughs, iVRy’s collaborative efforts.

Quest Camera Experiments: Latest Marvels

week after week, Quest devs amaze me with their experimental prowess. Recent projects include:

• Space voxelization demos.
• A tool for scanning physical objects into 3D voxel models.
• A physical ball tracking demo using Quest.
• A developer using a webcam to create a mixed-reality drone that photographs himself.

Check these innovative feats here: Environment voxelization, 3D object scanning, Quest-based ball tracking, Mixed-reality drone photography.

Haptic Sensations via Thin Synthetic Skin

A fascinating research piece introduced a super-thin synthetic skin that delivers haptic feedback. Tested on fingertips, it inflates and deflates its microdots, simulating tactile interactions with exterior objects. While it’s a technological marvel, its commercial viability is still a ways off.

More: Explore this haptic innovation.

Ruff Talk VR Gaming Showcase: A Delightful Display

Ruff Talk VR’s YouTube channel successfully hosted a captivating VR gaming showcase, shining a light on exciting indie VR gems. The news section further below pulls highlights from this event, but if you’re interested in catching the entire showcase, click here: Watch the full showcase.

Content Highlights

• Civilization VII VR debuts for Quest 3 and 3S on April 10 for $60.
• Velociblaster, a multi-player dinosaur shooter game, can now be wishlisted on Quest. Who knew we needed this?
• Train Sim World arrived on Quest at $32, offering a real slice of VR train driving.
• _Township Tale Studio teased REAVE, a dungeon-crawler extraction game.
• Bearly Escape is coming May 1 on SteamVR and Quest 3 for $14.99, offering early access to claw-machine puzzles.
• Exer Gale hits Early Access on Quest this June, promising exhilarating arcade racing.
• Rival Stars Horse Racing: VR Edition lands on Steam and Quest on April 17.
• A devoted fan is recreating Half-Life: Alyx for Quest 3—wow! The prologue is already sideloadable (shout-out to Rob Cole for this gem).

More info: Civilization VII, Velociblaster, Train Sim World, REAVE, Bearly Escape, Exer Gale, Rival Stars Horse Racing, Half-Life: Alyx on Quest.

Recent Reviews

• Pinball FX VR aces the pinball experience with diverse machine selections. The mixed reality feature transforms your room into an arcade—seriously cool.
• Wanderer: Fragments Of Fate delivers solid gameplay with clever puzzles, though certain issues with combat and glitches need ironing out.
• Hitman World Of Assassination on PSVR 2, as Upload VR confirms, is undeniably a hit!

Dive deeper: Pinball FX VR’s gameplay, Pinball tables, Wanderer Fragments Of Fate, Hitman World Of Assassination.

Additional Bits

• ACE and SIG SAUER released a Quest controller mimicking a real gun’s look and feel. Discover more.
• Squid Game VR at Sandbox VR amassed $30M in ticket sales. Find out more.
• Don Hopper’s GDC review praised the Mocopi Pro tracking set. Full hands-on here.
• Virtual Desktop now offers virtual monitors for Macs, and the results are outstanding. Details here.
• Research suggests modern kids are less prone to motion sickness compared to adults. Study insights.
• Celebrating nine years of HTC Vive. Happy birthday! More information.

Partnership News

Introducing Mixed Reality Tech Testing Services

A new scouting service is available for XR quality assurance, aptly named "Mixed Reality Tech." Founded by a well-versed XR entrepreneur, this startup offers on-demand QA testing for your XR creations across various headsets. Interested in their services? Reach out to explore collaboration. Learn more here.

Comic Relief

• 96° FOV: The Secret to Beating Motion Sickness! Laugh here.
• Human Programming Meets LLM Prompts—what would that look like? Explore the funny side.
• A Peek at My Not-So-Distant Future Find the humor here.
• Spot a Terminator from a Human—One Simple Step Detail here.

Giving Back

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(Header image courtesy of Razer)

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