The last several months have been difficult for the XR industry, as many high-profile companies in the world have decided to exit the space. In February, Microsoft announced massive cuts to its HoloLens 2 development teams, and the future of their space remains uncertain. In March, Google ended sales and support for Google Glass Enterprise Edition, ending their decade-long attempt to enter the space. And while Meta still has a commanding lead in the VR market with its Oculus product line, it has yet to reveal an AR- or MR-based product, and its overall plans for the metaverse are unclear.
Despite these setbacks, there is still strong demand for XR solutions, particularly in the enterprise market. Manufacturing, maintenance work, and job training are all areas where Digital Transformation can add significant value, and companies are continuing to run POCs and trials of XR-based solutions. Apple’s recent announcement of the Apple Vision Pro has also generated much enthusiasm for the future of the sector. For companies wanting to test XR applications as of today, the list below consists of the best current hardware available: