Prior to actually showing the device on stage at a Windows 10 press event today, Microsoft rolled a concept video giving examples of how the company envisions the device being used.

None of this is particularly new when you look back at AR concepts of years passed (though having someone be able to annotate onto the real world remotely to show you something seems pretty awesome). Screencaps from the video below for those of you who are mobile.

More Coverage:

Newsletter graphic

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. More information.

Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • loki

    maybe in 20 years time

  • VRyesplease

    Yea loki, I have to agree with your short and succinct assessment. Not one part of that video is even vaguely doable in the real world. I mean how many gestures am I supposed to know so the computer knows that the bikes gas tank is supposed to get taller, maybe I want a different color, or I want it to rise up and spin around. Unless there is a mind control input, I think it is complete fiction. I could go on picking apart all their demonstrations, but maybe it is at least a cool set of computer-face-goggle-thingies that someone might want to spend a thousand or 1500 on. Not.

    • Vertigo1

      Most of the footage shows a graphic UI, so I just instinctively justified that there would be contextual buttons and all you would need to know is how to press the button…maybe that was just me though.

      • VRyesplease

        You make a good point Vertigo, but even after seeing another promotional video, it still strikes me as an infomercial where they make it look so easy, but they are well practiced and staged demonstrations. I’m sure it will be cool to use, and I could even see myself getting one, but I also don’t believe it will be that intuitive that you can bend a finger and make magic. My GearVR has spoiled me since I learned to use it in about 20 seconds and can do everything now.