January 21, 2025
How are enterprises taking the loss of HoloLens 2? Which XR devices are they currently using? The following is based on the in-app topic discussions and responses started and shared by attendees of the 2024 Augmented Enterprise Summit.
Mobile Reigns
PTC created a poll during the conference asking attendees which XR device types they’re currently using or expect to use in the next two years. Keeping in mind that users were allowed to check more than one box, mobile devices came out on top with 75% of respondents choosing phones/tablets.
Passthrough AR/VR devices like Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro were a close second (65%); while 42% selected see-through AR devices like HoloLens and Magic Leap, and 27% reported using head-mounted tablet devices from the likes of RealWear and Vuzix.
Top Headset
In another poll, attendees shared their vote for “best overall headset value” out of HTC, Meta, Apple, and “Other.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, most chose Meta Quest (58.3%), followed by HTC with 29.2% of the vote.
This may not reveal much given the options, but the results were seemingly confirmed in discussion topics: Users praised Meta Quest devices for their value, versatility, accessibility, and ease of use. Those who prefer the HTC Vive argued that while it’s more expensive than Meta Quest, it’s also more enterprise-friendly. At the end of the day, of course, it depends on the use case and industry. If today’s enterprise adopters could Frankenstein a perfect device from what’s currently available, they would.
AVP & HL2
Attendees also shared their opinions about the Apple Vision Pro and reactions to the discontinuation of HoloLens 2. The general verdict is that Vision Pro is too expensive, though some see future potential.
Here are some of the responses to a user asking if anyone is currently using Vision Pro:
- --No, there’s no value for us.
- --We are testing one device and developing some POCs for it because it has potential in cases calling for high immersion without the complexity of a Varjo setup. The rub is that enterprise environments quickly get diminishing returns on that level of investment, and our engineers want accuracy and reliability over realism.
- --It’s a great device but nearly impossible to scale at that price.
- --We’re using it to create shared AR experiences for walkthroughs of digital signage, to run different customer scenarios and change up the content on the fly, and we’re able to leverage existing Swift and iOS code base.
- --We’ve ordered a few devices for possible use by frontline workers, but there are many challenges including cost, data privacy, and worker safety in certain environments.
- --We’ve created an app to showcase the future potential of the next generation of headsets represented by Vision Pro, but this first version presents cost and scalability challenges.
- --It’s overpriced and not ready for prime time.
- --It’s not affordable or shareable.
- --It doesn’t solve most of our needs in manufacturing, but it’s cool and beautiful and could work for some edge use cases.
As for what could replace HoloLens 2, several users lamented the fact that Magic Leap is likely ditching the hardware business. “Magic Leap 2 was a solid replacement for HoloLens 2, but the company’s in an uncertain state.” “Magic Leap would have been a good option if they removed the wire and made the arms of the device clear, but they seem to be going out of business.”
Another attendee observed that while a future iteration of Vision Pro or Meta’s Orion glasses could be a contender one day, there isn’t really anything on the horizon that “integrates as easily into a native enterprise device management system” as HoloLens 2. Manufacturing professionals tended to agree: “Right now, nothing comes close to HoloLens 2 for manufacturing in terms of capability, safety, and robustness.” “See-though AR is necessary for health and safety in a manufacturing environment.” “Vision Pro will never be allowed in a manufacturing plant.”
So, what should enterprise end users do? Wait. As software support for HoloLens 2 will end after 2027, several attendees advised waiting for a HoloLens replacement and encouraged vendors to develop one. In the meantime, “I would continue using HoloLens” and explore new devices. One user predicted a future Meta device with better passthrough will ultimately fill the void. Passthrough, however, isn’t viable in every industrial environment, and it’s likely enterprises will approach any HL contender with caution.
XR Wishlist
Seemingly number one on many end users’ list is a truly “industrially viable” AR headset. Attendees phrased it in various ways: “Full binocular stereoscopic AR with object recognition for use in manufacturing environments,” “a feature-rich enterprise see-through AR headset,” and “a solid replacement for factory-floor AR (HoloLens 2) that’s not a consumer device adapted to rugged environments.”
Who will deliver this holy grail device? Will it be Samsung and Google? Will it be on the exhibition floor at the 2025 Augmented Enterprise Summit? We’ll have to wait and see.
