After debuting its next-generation of augmented reality glasses, the XREAL Air 2 series, in October, XREAL has revealed a new addition to their line: the XREAL Air Ultra. Like other XREAL AR glasses, the Air 2 Ultra will operate by pairing to a source device via USB-C, which can be an Android device, iPhone 15, Mac or Windows laptop. Unlike the other Air and Air 2 models, the Air 2 Ultra features two discreet front-facing cameras that endow it with six degrees of freedom (6DoF) capabilities thanks to the dual 3D environment sensors with computer vision. In this way, the Air 2 Ultra is more akin to XREAL's first pair of AR glasses, the Nreal Light. The company is even marketing this new model, priced at $699, as a direct competitor to the Apple Vision Pro and Meta Quest 3.

Specs of the device include full HD for each eye, field-of-view (FOV) of 52°, 42 pixels per degree (PPD), a refresh rate of up to 120Hz and peak brightness of 500 nits. With its virtual 2D screen casting, the device can project the equivalent of a 154 inches display from a distance of 13 feet. While the XREAL Air and Air 2 models have become popular handheld gaming companions, the Air 2 Ultra is mostly geared towards developers for the time being; and it will be interesting to see what applications are developed for the device, especially as it aims to compete with gaming headsets like the Meta Quest 3.

“With XREAL Air 2 Ultra we’re empowering developers around the world by providing an affordable and lightweight solution that allows them to jump into the exciting world of spatial computing and create the next generation of mixed reality experiences," said Chi Xu, founder and CEO of XREAL. "We put 6DoF AR glasses on the map with our Nreal Light model in 2020 and are thrilled to unveil its highly-requested successor. XREAL Air 2 Ultra packs in tons of spatial computing tech in a smaller, more comfortable, and much more stylish form factor than what others are producing today. Unlike competing brands in this emerging space, we believe in making advanced wearable 6DoF glasses something you can wear all day long and that are accessible to all players in the XR development ecosystem."

XREAL Air 2 Ultra is available for pre-order now for $699, with shipping expected to begin in March. It will ship with XREAL’s latest NRSDK 2.2 which is built on Unity and features improved hand tracking and hand gesture recognition.

In addition to the Air 2 Ultra reveal, the company has also shared news of its dominance in the AR market, having shipped up to 350,000 AR glasses to date and holding a market share in the global AR segment of 51% in Q3 2023, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC). As it further aims to maintain its leadership in the market, XREAL has announced a series of partnerships today at CES. They are collaborating with Qualcomm on AR, AI and wireless data connectivity (5G) projects; with BMW to explore smart AR experiences in automobiles; and have other projects with NIO for in-vehicle AR entertainment, Quintar Imagine for AR-enhanced live sports, and Forma Vision for holographic meetings. These indicate that the XREAL AR glasses might have more use cases beyond gaming in the future and might lead to some interesting developments.

SOURCE: GBAtemp Inbox

 

[NakedFaerie]

I got the Nreal Air glasses and think they are a needed addon for the Steam Deck. Gives it a 130' display anywhere you like.
I saw the Xreal Air 2 are out now but thought its not much of an upgrade for me so I wont bother.
But these, the Xreal Air 2 Ultra with its cameras and full AR, now thats something I will upgrade too.
Looking forward to finding out more about these.

 

[Prans]

I got the Nreal Air glasses and think they are a needed addon for the Steam Deck. Gives it a 130' display anywhere you like.
I saw the Xreal Air 2 are out now but thought its not much of an upgrade for me so I wont bother.
But these, the Xreal Air 2 Ultra with its cameras and full AR, now thats something I will upgrade too.
Looking forward to finding out more about these.

yeah, the Air 2 is mostly an incremental upgrade over the Air, as I pointed out in my review for the Air 2. I would also argue that each XREAL glasses need the XREAL Beam add-on for 3DoF windows but maybe the Air 2 Ultra won't need those. I'm also hoping they work on a standalone device at some point which would be neat.

 

[Aftershock]

I've got the original Air's also. They work great with the steam deck. I won't be upgrading until we get Variable refresh rate support. HDR would be nice also.

 

[KingVamp]

These are the glasses that I thought they were coming out with, in the first place. Also, not haven't to worry about compatibility issues with a standalone device would be nice.

 

[Lazyt]

i'll believe it till i see it ( same for apple vision)

 

[KiiWii]

These look fantastic!

 

[Scarlet]

I mean they seem cool, but how on Earth are they competing with Apple Vision and the Quest 3? Aren't they both standalone devices, while this is basically just a screen in your glasses that needs another device? Weird marketing unless I'm missing something major.

 

[Germania]

Really tempted to buy these for my Steam Deck and PC, but not sure for now, whether I should wait a bit longer. I just do not think the price is right for a product like this, just too expensive for a gadget.