Microsoft Ends Production of “HoloLens 2” – Plans for Subsequent Model Unknown – ZDNET Japan

Microsoft has officially stopped production of the HoloLens 2 mixed reality (MR) headset. The company has been communicating this to business partners via email since last week.

says Jens Lauritsen, chief product officer at Danish company XR VirsabiLinkedIn profileThis information has been made public.

Microsoft plans to continue selling the HoloLens 2 while supplies last. Available on the company's digital store, prices start at $3,500.

HoloLens 2 will continue to receive support such as security updates to maintain functionality until December 31, 2027.

In addition, it has been revealed that the last service update for the first generation HoloLens will be on December 10, 2024. The model will continue to work, but will no longer receive security patches or technical support.

It's sad to see the HoloLens 2 reach its final days, but it's not surprising. When it was first released in 2019, business users and professionals didn't show much interest.

In 2022, Alex Kipman, the lead developer of the HoloLens project, will leave the company. More than 1,000 employees will be laid off in 2024, including the HoloLens team.

A few years ago, there were rumors that Microsoft was working on HoloLens 3. However, as Business Insider reported in 2022, this project has been cancelled.

The company is not shying away from the world of virtual reality (VR). Currently, it has a partnership with Meta, making Xbox Cloud Gaming and Office apps available for the Meta Quest series of VR headsets. Recently, the cooperation between the newly announced “Quest 3S” and “Windows 11” will be strengthened.

However, as far as first-party devices are concerned, Microsoft seems to have killed off this technology.