HoloLens 2

Eye tracking sensors

Elsewhere on the hardware front, we're getting eye tracking sensors, which app developers will have access to, while Microsoft is also bringing better hand gesture recognition to make interactions with holograms feel a little more special. On the comfort front, there's now a flip up visor to make it more friendly for glasses wearers and a lighter design. Battery life is said to be around 3 hours, which seems to be the norm for high end AR and MR headsets right now.

Mixed reality

The first HoloLens headset ushered in the concept of mixed reality, a form of augmented reality that mixes the real world with virtual objects. It’s a pair of smart glasses rather than a full-blown headset, but it was still a chunky device. The headset has a wider viewable area in comparison to the first generation model, as well as a more comfortable fit. Therefore it should be comfortable enough to wear it for longer. It also fits over glasses and has a dial for size adjustment. It retains the clear glasses element as that’s fundamental to the way HoloLens works.

You can now sign in with Microsoft Hello (superb) and there's also improved eye and hand-tracking

The headset is passively cooled and gives you around two to three hours of use per charge. Microsoft showcased how people will be able to interact seamlessly with a the mixed reality environment, demonstratin virtual buttons, playing a pian and watching a hummingbird fly towards you.

Fortnite developer Epic Games also confirmed that it will be supporting the HoloLens platform. It wouldn't be drawn on whether it was about to announce a game or an AR strategy, but did confirm that it would support HoloLens 2. 

To create a new level of detail, Microsoft has updated the display technology inside HoloLens 2

What was essentially 720p for each eye in the first-gen has been upgraded to 2K in the second. This is while still expanding the size of the imagery you are looking at. On the comfort side of things, the device is now lighter, as easy to put on as a baseball cap, and is made with carbon fibre.See more holograms at once through the greatly increased field of view. Read text and see intricate details on 3D images more easily and comfortably with industry-leading resolution.

Wear HoloLens 2 longer and more comfortably with a dial-in fit system designed for extended use

And keep your glasses on—the headset slides right over them. When it's time to switch tasks, flip the visor up to step out of mixed reality. Touch, grasp, and move holograms in ways that feel natural—they respond a lot like real objects. Log in to HoloLens 2 instantly and securely using just your eyes with Windows Hello. And voice commands work even in noisy industrial environments through smart microphones and natural language speech processing. 

Move freely, with no wires or external packs to get in your way

The HoloLens 2 headset is a self-contained computer with Wi-Fi connectivity, which means that everything you need goes with you while you work.Share what you see with employees in remote locations to collaborate with peers while staying hands-on with your work.

Bring employees in multiple locations together around a real-time view of the problem to troubleshoot efficiently and reduce cost. Call up schematics, diagrams, and work-order information to help solve the tasks at hand faster and with fewer errors.