Phil Spencer, the head of the Xbox division of Microsoft, has talked about a possible integration of HoloLens with Xbox One and PC. Although it is a standalone device, it can also offer very interesting experiences working with external hardware such as a console or a compatible.
Speaking to Polygon, Spencer states that “we think it’s important that it succeeds as an autonomous device. The experiences we see today are autonomous, they work on the device itself, which is quite an achievement. There is no data transmission, because what you see are high fidelity experiences that will be impressive working there. That’s our first goal. For me, there is not a single consumer electronic device on the entire planet in which video games do not have a leading role. I think that with HoloLens it will happen the same, video games will be very important. As for specific scenarios with the Xbox, we are looking for answers for when people ask if there will be streaming-type solutions, to use it as an Xbox screen for example. It’s something we don’t have an answer for yet.”
“If we have more process power at the local level, it is our goal to see how we manage to take advantage of it and make it work together with the glasses, in addition to making it work as an autonomous device. And it is also important to note that, at the moment, this is Microsoft’s answer to virtual reality, there is no other device in development to compete more directly with devices like the Oculus Rift. I think this is our area. We can use some opacity to isolate ourselves from what we see regarding augmented reality. I love the existing virtual reality devices, Morpheus, Oculus, I think they are doing a fantastic job and I will say it a thousand times, but I love that our industry is still looking for new innovations. I’ve always applauded Sony and Oculus for what they’ve created, but I think this is something different.”
