How Microsoft wants to dominate virtual reality

This new team studying the surface may have been the star of the last show Wednesday from Microsoft, but history has not been enough attention was how Microsoft extends its plans for platforms augmented reality and virtual time believing that mark the beginning of a new era of computing.

Next year Microsoft will release a free upgrade to Windows 10 calls the update of the creators, including the possibility of connecting a virtual reality helmet on your PC. Helmets are also relatively cheap, from $ 299. They will be built by all major PC manufacturers such as Dell, Lenovo and Asus.

 But they are more than just affordable helmets. They also have features that still can not get into the high-end headphones as Oculus Rift Facebook, which costs $ 599. Specifically, helmets are able to provide free range of motion without an external camera that follows.

Alex Kipman, head of HoloLens and other projects of virtual and augmented reality Microsoft, told Business Insider in an interview last week that the new portfolio of virtual reality helmets will be the "most powerful and enveloping helmets more affordable price."

The latter about accessibility is an important caveat, of course. While new helmets Dell, Lenovo, and the rest can not match the Oculus Rift, in terms of screen quality, which will be immediately more accessible and more capable in some respects.

 At this time, the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive require very powerful computers that can cost $ 1,000 or more. But the windows 10 helmets will be able to run on personal computers that cost about $ 500. In many cases, if you have a computer that can run Windows 10, which has a team working with VR.

This is a great advantage. VR is still in its infancy and is not accessible to many people. But the opening of a large part of the ecosystem of Windows with affordable VR helmets could give a major boost.

Then there is monitoring. Kipman bragged how it will be an important new helmets active competition. Microsoft will stop VR manufacturers use the same integrated control found in HoloLens town, which is completely untethered from a PC and can "analyze" their environment so you can move freely VR. While the Oculus Rift live and a camera or laser transmitters in your room this is installed, Windows helmets will be able to do so without an external accessory and several hundred dollars cheaper. Facebook briefly joked his own Oculus Rift with this "inside out" followed, but is still in the early stages. Microsoft will be ready next spring.

With a Windows update, Microsoft will jump immediately much of its support from VR. It will be the best, most affordable to the exclusive VR experience and puts the company in a position to dominate the category.