Catch up on the latest AR+VR highlights, funding news & launch announcements: Week of Jan 27

Source: Wikipedia, Sundance

By Tom Emrich

Highlights

It’s been another busy week in AR+VR! In addition to keeping you up-to-date on the top AR+VR news, funding activity, and launch announcements, here are there three stories you need to know: VR grows by 30%, Sundance Frontier Program & Blippar is Back..

Superdata Research released new VR numbers which showed a 30% growth in 2018 mainly thanks to PSVR. The research firm is optimistic about the much anticipated Oculus Quest forecasting sales of 1.3 million units.

Meanwhile, the 2019 Sundance Film Festival’s New Frontier program is jam-packed with immersive AR and VR content including a mobile AR + projection mapping mystery called “The Dial” from Ryot, social-movement VR experience “Embody”, Synthesia-inducing “Sweet Dreams” and more.

Finally, news broke of Blippar coming back to life to continue as a new augmented reality company after selling IP assets to one of its existing investors, Candy Ventures which is based in London.

Funding News

Adobe acquires Allegorithmic, makers of the Substance texture tools (TechCrunch)

Sandbox VR raises $68 million Series A from Andreessen Horowitz (Business Insider)

Epic Games buys 3Lateral, maker of super-realistic ‘digital humans’ (TechCrunch)

Launch Announcements

Intel announces an inside-out tracking camera for robotics and AR/VR hardware (TechCrunch)

Google Chrome to support Windows Mixed Reality headsets (9to5 Google)

Fable moves away from VR and towards AI-powered ‘virtual beings’ (Engadget)

North Begins Delivering First Focals Shipments, Announces Series of New Pop-Up Stores (Next Reality)

Bluetooth 5.1 Adds Precision Location & More Augmented Reality Experiences (Next Reality)

Time Partners With Ryot on Martin Luther King VR Experience (Variety)

Microsoft, HP, and Intel Working With Zero Latency on its Next Generation LBE VR Platform (VR Focus)

TUI adds a touch of augmented reality to tours and activities (Travel Weekly)

Microsoft offers free educational VR content for all Windows Mixed Reality users (MS Poweruser)

USA TODAY Releases First AR Interactive of 2019 with the Washington Capitals Player (USA Today)

Cinemark teams with Spaces for mixed-reality ‘Terminator’ experience (Slashgear)