The XR Weekly Recap (February 18, 2025): Ray-Ban and Meta Hit 2 Million Sales, Rumors of Meta’s Humanoid Robots, and More!

I’m excited to be back in Italy, feeling both exhausted and joyful. I hope Valentine’s Day treated you well, surrounded by loved ones, and you’re in good spirits too. So what’s one of the reasons for my current happiness? Well, my piece on Android XR permissions for camera frames has been featured in renowned publications like Road To VR, Upload VR, and Android Authority! It’s thrilling to enjoy a brief spell of recognition 😉. Now, with that out of the way, let’s dive into the most intriguing XR highlights of the week!

### This Week’s Top Stories

#### Ray-Ban Meta Hits 2 Million Sales

During this year’s fourth-quarter earnings call, EssilorLuxottica’s CEO Francesco Milleri shared some exciting news: Ray-Ban Meta glasses are proving to be a massive hit with 2 million units sold! This aligns with some insider info I picked up a while back. It turns out not only are they selling well, but there’s a growing user base sticking around. These factors certainly spell success!

Due to this triumph, Luxottica plans to ramp up production to over 10 million units by 2026. This success has undoubtedly sparked interest in smartglasses. At CES, I noticed a lot of startups were introducing AI-powered versions. Plus, we’re hearing rumblings about big brands like Apple and Samsung joining the fray with their smartglasses. However, I’d be cautious of the hype. Ray-Ban Meta owes much of its success to leveraging the Ray-Ban brand and Luxottica’s distribution muscle, not just Meta. Replicating this with other brands might not yield the same results.

Looking at the numbers, even with Luxottica aiming for 10 million units annually, it’s still a far cry from smartphone figures. We’re seeing gradual adoption, and while I’m hopeful these glasses take off, ongoing market growth will be the true test over the coming months.

#### Additional News Highlights

#### Meta’s Potential Venture into Humanoid Robots

Bloomberg reports that Meta is exploring humanoid robots through its Reality Labs division, known for their XR headsets. They’re working on hardware and software for these AI-driven household helpers. Clearly, data from AR/VR headsets and Project Aria glasses is crucial for training these robots.

Meta doesn’t plan on creating the robots themselves, likely having learned about the challenges involved from their XR glasses venture. Instead, they aim to provide the foundational tech like AI systems and sensors, so other manufacturers can build and distribute the robots. While intriguing, it sounds a bit risky given Meta’s ongoing XR challenges and consistent financial losses this endeavor could exacerbate.

#### Apple Introducing Apple Intelligence to Vision Pro

Bloomberg also reports Apple is set to enhance its Vision Pro headset’s functionality with Apple Intelligence, guest user updates, and a spatial content app as soon as April, via a software update. These are exciting additions, especially the potential integration with upcoming devices powered by an M5 chip. Apple Intelligence could rival Google’s Gemini in the Android XR ecosystem, fueling competition among tech giants like Meta, Apple, and Google.

#### New Platform for Smartglasses Development: AugmentOS

Mentra recently launched AugmentOS, a smartphone app platform for creating smartglasses applications. With AugmentOS, developers can build a single application using its SDK to run across various smartglasses models. They’ve partnered with Vuzix, so apps will be compatible with Vuzix Z100 among others. Interestingly, though they claim Ray-Ban Meta compatibility, it’s not officially listed as supported.

I think it’s a promising project. The hype around smartglasses definitely risks fragmentation, making development cumbersome. AugmentOS aims to break these barriers, offering a cross-compatible application platform for developers. It remains to be seen how widely it’s adopted, but it’s a step in the right direction.

### Mention-Worthy Tidbits

#### PSVR 2 Holiday Sales Surge

A price cut from $550 to $350 gave PSVR 2 sales a tremendous boost during the 2024 holiday season. According to Amazon US charts, sales quintupled compared to 2023. Although it doesn’t match the Quest’s numbers, it’s impressive. A permanent price drop could potentially offer even more upside.

#### Anduril’s Takeover of the IVAS Project

Palmer Luckey’s defense company, Anduril, is now managing the IVAS project, moving hardware and software responsibilities from Microsoft, which continues to provide Azure support. Luckey boasted about this transition, suggesting superior capabilities. Time will tell if they deliver on his high claims.

#### Wonderland Cloud: Specialized WebXR Hosting

Wonderland Cloud, offered by Create Worlds, promises specialized hosting for WebXR projects. Beyond just hosting, they offer multiplayer and voice chat services, streamlining WebXR experience development significantly.

#### A First Look: RTX 5090 vs. RTX 4090

YouTubers are putting NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 to the test against the RTX 4090 in VR settings, showing promising improvements with the newer model.

#### Exploring 50+ VR Communities

Bobby Carlton’s article highlights VR usage by older adults and seniors, showing there’s an active, age-diverse user base drawn mainly to fitness and social VR apps.

#### NBA Games on Your Table

The Apple Vision Pro app for the NBA has rolled out a cool feature: Tabletop. It shows a mini 3D live game on your desk! While it might not replace traditional viewing, it’s fun to complement the main action.

#### Discount Excitement on Horizon Store

The Quest Store has exciting discounts on popular titles like Among Us VR and Ultrawings 2—catch the sale before February 23!

#### First PSVR 2 Hand-Tracked Game

Sony discreetly enabled hand tracking for the PSVR 2, which Waltz Of The Wizard eagerly adopted. The hand-tracking aligns marvelously with the game’s spell-casting mechanics, and the PS5’s horsepower ensures smooth performance.

### Content Updates and Rumors

#### Behemoth Update Unleashed by Skydance

The latest hit game Behemoth received a major update with over 700 fixes. Meanwhile, Alien Rogue Incursion hit Quest, but graphical issues mar gameplay—an update is promised soon.

#### New Games and Development

– Ready At Dawn was reportedly working on a groundbreaking VR game when Meta shuttered the studio. A loss for fans anticipating something visionary from the makers of Lone Echo.
– Midnight Walk, priced at $40, is bringing its claymation adventure to PSVR 2 and PC VR headsets.
– Onward is set for a significant 2.0 update, while new VR releases include Selina: Mind at Large and Resist among others.
– An intriguing revival: ‘80s arcade game I, Robot, is getting a VR update for PlayStation VR2.
– Various innovative titles are on the horizon, like DodgeCraft, StellarPlans, Tier One, and WET, all contributing to a burgeoning catalog of VR experiences.

### Reviews and Reactions

#### Traffic Control Fun with Stupid Cars

The simple, charming game Stupid Cars offers a delightful experience guiding traffic flow.

#### Innovative TouchDesk for Apple Vision Pro

Draw directly on your desk with TouchDesk—an innovative app for the Apple Vision Pro, allowing multitasking while engaging in other spatial experiences.

### In Other News

– John Carmack’s efforts with ID Software for community ports faced hurdles.
– Dbrand released a faceplate for Apple Vision Pro.
– Layoffs hit Crytek and Unity.
– Horizon Worlds launched fantastic avatars.
– UGVR, a universal VR mod for Godot, was released.

### Partners and Community Updates

#### Prima Immersive: Premium Video on Apple Vision Pro

Prima Immersive released Session One of its immersive music series, offering top-tier visual quality to Apple Vision Pro users thanks to its advanced video encoder.

#### Aviar’s VR Training Innovation

Aviar’s new “VR training in a box” simplifies the experience for aviation workers, emphasizing ease and accessibility.

#### The Petty Playbook Hits Kickstarter

Check out Vivian Chazen’s quirky puzzle book on Kickstarter, aimed at helping those navigating heartbreak—it’s a must-see side project from a prominent VR community member.

### A Bit of Fun with XR

Explore quirky XR-themed humor with alternate Valentine’s celebrations, VR mishaps, and amusing commercials—there’s always something to smile about in the XR world!

### Charity Reminder

In these uncertain times, I invite you to assist those affected by conflict. Consider donating to the humanitarian efforts led by the Red Cross in Ukraine. Also, my heartfelt thanks to all Patreon supporters—you truly make a difference.

Support The Red Cross in Ukraine

(Header image by Meta)

Thank you for your kindness and support as we share this journey through the ever-evolving XR landscape.