Anyone waiting in the wings for a Microsoft HoloLens successor will want to prepare for a long road ahead. According to a new report from Thurrott.com, Microsoft's follow-up to the first HoloLens won't arrive until 2019, if current plans stay the course.
So why the long wait? A reshuffled product roadmap that sees Microsoft skipping what would have been its second-generation HoloLens in favor of speeding up the development and release of what was to be its third-generation release. From the report:
By skipping what was version two on their roadmap, the company can accelerate version three which will be closer to a generational leap and help keep Microsoft ahead of the competition. My sources are telling me that this version of Hololens will not arrive until 2019.
That's quite the wait, especially considering the first iteration of the HoloLens was first shown off to the public over two years ago and started shipping to developers last year. However, substantial improvements to things like size, field of view, and battery life would likely make the wait worthwhile.
More importantly, if true, Microsoft's willingness to wait until a more substantial upgrade over the current tech is ready shows the company's willingness to play the long game with HoloLens as it seeks a top spot in whatever burgeoning market springs up around mixed reality headsets. In the meantime, we can look forward to a line of Windows Holographic VR headsets later this year that, while not as impressive as HoloLens, should offer some fun of their own.
