US military declares Microsoft winner in battle for a $ 480 million headset deal "HoloLens :: Next Reality



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In its first major battle over contracts, Microsoft emerged victorious from Magic Leap, the US military awarded a $ 480 million contract to the manufacturer HoloLens.

Microsoft will provide 100,000 custom HoloLens units to the military for its Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS), designed to provide soldiers with a head-up display on the battlefield, though only 2,500 have been delivered. during the first two years.

The US Army's vision of augmented reality in combat improves awareness of the situation of soldiers on the battlefield. Image of the US Army / YouTube

"The augmented reality technology will provide the troops with better information for making decisions," said a Microsoft spokesman. Bloomberg. "This new work expands our long-standing relationship of trust with the Department of Defense in this new area."

On the basis of the submission documents, the prototype headsets will be very different from those of commercially available HoloLens. The Army said the device had to include night vision, thermal detection, monitoring of respiratory signs, general alertness, concussions and other vital signs.

This contract represents a huge victory for Microsoft, which may have tripled its HoloLens unit sales with just one contract. Recently, the company revealed that it had moved about 50,000 HoloLens units in May, but with Microsoft seeking more and more business customers like Chevron and Toyota, this figure should be even bigger today.

In addition, the contract establishes the HoloLens as the helmet of choice for military customers, with the The Royal Navy and Royal Australian Air Force also opt for HoloLens-based combat solutions.

Although Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp., Lockheed Martin Corp. and Raytheon Co. have also sued the contract, it is difficult to consider this as anything other than Microsoft compared to Magic Leap, the other big business of AR headsets in search of a contract military. under a subsidiary named Réalités choisies.

If Magic Leap misses this contract, it will not spoil Magic Leap, but if it were done with other contracts with governments and companies choosing the HoloLens, Magic Leap could have a hard time getting established in the world business before deploying their product "" Enterprise Enablement "is scheduled for mid-2019, especially considering the significant length of time Microsoft is in the market and the fact that HoloLens runs a system-based Familiar and user-friendly operation for businesses in Windows 10.

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