Apple is reportedly working on a way to make AR apps that’s as simple as talking to Siri

“Hey Siri, make an AR version of the Apple logo.” | Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple is apparently working on a way to let you make apps for its long-rumored mixed reality headset using Siri, according to a new report from The Information ... more - theverge

Meta’s flagship VR app is catching up to the NES by making A the jump button

I, too, am throwing my hands in the air for this change. | Image: Meta Meta is making a big improvement to controls in its social VR platform Horizon Worlds : jump is being remapped to the A button, according to a blog post about the app’s new v94 update. ... more - theverge

Tuesday’s top tech news: Lightyear’s buzz fizzles

The Lightyear 0 at its unveiling last year. | Image: Lightyear Plus more details about Apple’s long-rumored VR / AR headset. Continue reading… ... more - theverge

The Meta Quest’s improved hand tracking is now the default

Hand tracking could become a big battleground for virtual reality headsets. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge In April 2022, Meta released Hand Tracking 2.0, its upgraded system that can detect things like high fives and clapping, but the ... more - theverge

Apple’s ‘Reality Pro’ VR headset sure sounds like a monster device

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple’s long-rumored VR / AR headset could be packed with ambitious technologies, including advanced hand tracking, the ability to see your Mac’s display, and even recreating digital versions of users in one-on-one ... more - theverge

AltspaceVR is shutting down as Microsoft’s mixed reality division shrinks

Image: Microsoft Microsoft will shut down AltspaceVR, the social virtual reality (VR) platform it acquired in 2017 (via VentureBeat ), on March 10th, 2023. The company shared the news in a blog post just days after it announced job cuts affecting 10,000 ... more - theverge

PSVR2 adds Tetris Effect and Rez Infinite ports to its ‘launch window’ games list

Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge A post on the PlayStation blog lists “over 30” titles for the PlayStation VR2’s monthlong launch window (you can scroll down to see the full list here) that starts when the hardware ships starting February 22nd. While ... more - theverge

Wednesday’s top tech news: layoffs come for Microsoft

Illustration: The Verge Plus good news if you want to repair a Galaxy S22, but bad news if you’re counting down the days to Apple’s AR glasses. Continue reading… ... more - theverge

Apple reportedly shelved its plans to release AR glasses any time soon

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Another Apple rumor from Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman focuses on the company’s efforts to create game-changing augmented reality glasses that could make picking up your iPhone obsolete — if they’re ever built. ... more - theverge

Republican lawmakers push for crypto regulation with new panel

House Financial Services chair Patrick McHenry (R-NC) announced the new subcommittee on Thursday. | Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Republican lawmakers announced a new panel on Thursday that will oversee the cryptocurrency industry, ... more - theverge

Apple’s Music and TV apps for Windows are now available in preview

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Apple’s Music and TV apps for Windows have made an appearance, with preview versions of the apps being spotted on the Microsoft Store by The Verifier (via MacRumors ). LAst October, Microsoft announced they were ... more - theverge

Meta Quest users can now track their heart rate in VR workouts

Both heart rate and Android workout tracking integrations are necessary for VR fitness to become popular. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge Meta is adding two new fitness-related features to the Meta Quest. The first is Health Connect integration, ... more - theverge

Intel’s new Wi-Fi chip promises a better way to tether your Meta Quest VR headset

Why yes, that is a Frankenquest, adding a Vive Deluxe Audio Strap. | Photo by Owen Grove / The Verge Intel and Meta have teamed up on a new way to directly connect your Oculus Quest headset to a gaming PC. If you buy or build a computer with its AX1690 ... more - theverge

Meta’s done making new features for the Quest 1 — all updates will end next year

Image: Oculus Meta is planning to stop supporting the original Quest VR headset with new software updates, and soon anyone using the older hardware will be locked out of some social features. Several users on Reddit and Twitter, along with journalist ... more - theverge

Meta is still adding basic moderation features to its VR playscape

Meta will show you a notification when you violate the rules. | Image: Meta Meta is adding some new moderation features to Horizon Worlds , the company’s VR social platform, as part of version 91, according to a blog post published Friday. While the ... more - theverge

Apple may finally debut its mixed reality headset this spring

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple’s getting ready to launch its long-rumored mixed reality headset this spring, according to a report from Bloomberg ’s Mark Gurman. The company’s reportedly planning to reveal the device ahead of the Worldwide ... more - theverge

Where was 5G at CES?

From the front row to a no-show. | Image: The Verge When it wasn’t being overshadowed by covid resurgences, CES, for the past few years, has partially functioned as a big 5G pep rally. But as cars, smart home standards, and so many screens took center ... more - theverge

HTC’s new VR / AR headset is the $1,099 Vive XR Elite

The HTC Vive XR Elite. | Image: HTC HTC is opening preorders for a new virtual and augmented reality headset, the Vive XR Elite. The XR Elite is a $1,099 standalone headset that’s designed to compete with Meta’s Quest headsets and the rumored Apple AR ... more - theverge

The BMW i Vision Dee is a future EV sport sedan that can talk back to you

The BMW i Vision Dee is basically KITT with a kidney grille. | Image: BMW KITT with a kidney grille? With a minimalist design, a HUD across the whole windshield, and a digital assistant that talks back, this could be the most polarizing BMW concept yet. ... more - theverge

Gran Turismo 7 is getting a free VR upgrade for PSVR2’s launch

Jim Ryan reveals Gran Turismo 7’s VR update at CES 2023. | Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Gran Turismo 7 will be getting a free upgrade to let you play the game on PlayStation VR2, PlayStation head Jim Ryan announced during Sony’s CES 2023 press conference ... more - theverge

L’Oréal’s new makeup applicator uses AR to give you the perfect brow

The Brow Magic is a type of “brow printer” with an AR component. | Image: L’Oreal L’Oréal is no slouch when it comes to gadgets. Like Dyson, L’Oréal has been pushing the game in beauty tech for the past few years, announcing neat gizmos like wearable ... more - theverge

Sony breaks from tradition and won’t announce new TVs at CES 2023

Illustration by Kristen Radtke / The Verge If there’s one brand that’s inherently linked to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, it’s Sony. Every year, the company unveils its latest and greatest 4K TVs and shows off other home theater hardware ... more - theverge

Apple’s mixed reality headset might let you switch out of VR with a digital crown

Good use of a digital crown, IMO. | Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Apple’s long-rumored mixed reality headset might let users switch between viewing the real world and virtual reality with a physical dial, according to an extensive new report ... more - theverge

Samsung makes Mini LED even bigger with the Odyssey Neo G9

I feel threatened by the breadth of this monitor. | Image: Samsung Remember the Samsung Odyssey Ark? Of course you do — it was released last year, had a monstrous 55-inch display that towers over you in portrait mode, and used Mini LED tech. In his review, ... more - theverge

Meta acquires smart lensmaker Luxexcel as it works toward AR glasses goal

Illustration by Nick Barclay / The Verge Meta’s throwing more money into the metaverse with its acquisition of Luxexcel, a Netherlands-based company that specializes in 3D-printing prescription lenses for smart glasses. The news was first reported by ... more - theverge

9 great games for your VR headset from 2022

Micha Huigen / The Verge Although the tech surrounding VR headsets has stagnated somewhat, there are still plenty of fantastic titles that make great use of the technology available, and we’ve chosen some of our favorites for you to try now and over ... more - theverge

Meta delays Within acquisition amid VR antitrust claims

Within makes popular fitness app Supernatural. | Image: Supernatural / Within Meta has delayed its acquisition of virtual reality studio Within by a month, agreeing not to close the deal until January 31st. The agreement was noted in a court filing reported ... more - theverge

Meta says ‘about half’ of its Reality Labs operating expenses go toward AR

The Ray-Ban Stories don’t have AR, but someday we might be wearing sunglasses with advanced AR tech. | Photo by Amanda Lopez for The Verge Meta’s Reality Labs division might be burning billions, but it’s not all going toward not-great VR headsets. The ... more - theverge

John Carmack is leaving Meta

John Carmack onstage. | GABRIELLE LURIE/AFP via Getty Images John Carmack, a titan of the technology industry known for his work on virtual reality as well as classic games like Doom and Quake , is stepping down from his role as a consulting CTO at Meta, ... more - theverge

HTC will announce a lightweight Meta Quest competitor at CES

The yet unnamed HTC headset. | Image: HTC HTC plans to introduce a new flagship AR / VR headset next month that will reestablish its presence in the consumer virtual reality space. The company isn’t planning to release full details until CES on January ... more - theverge