XR Weekly Update (2025.07.21): Bytedance’s Potential MR Headset, HTC’s New Tease, and More!

Sure thing, here’s a raw and slightly chaotic version:

—

Hey there, folks! Buckle up for this week’s wild AR/VR ride. Trust me, it’s spicier than last time. Plus, there’s a little surprise giveaway tucked in here somewhere. Worth sticking around for, I’d think… oh, and if you missed my sit-down with the minds behind Animal Company, you might want to catch up. Seriously, it’s like peeking behind the curtain of XR game magic.

## What’s Cooking This Week

So, Pico. Heard they’re cooking a new headset—right? Word is from The Information, Bytedance didn’t stop at Pico 5, no sir. They’re whipping up something different, tagged “Swan.” It’s a mixed reality gadget connected to a puck—light as a feather, apparently. Hands and eyes do the controlling. Got me curious about those “special chips” they’re fiddling with. Sounds familiar? Maybe it’s because Meta’s up to similar shenanigans.

I mean, competition’s all fair in tech love and war, right? But, hey, that puck thing? Always seems like a drag to me. Let’s see what the big market splash looks like, shall we?

## Other Delights Unpacked

Meta, darling Meta, always flaunting new XR eye-candies. Just before SIGGRAPH, they’re showing off these wide-FOV headsets. Heads up—180° view, bam! Trickier-than-it-sounds tech is involved, and honestly? It sounds like wizardry to me. But commercial products? Who even knows when they’ll pop up.

HTC Vive teased us all with a cryptic “coming-soon” tweet. Coordinates lead to Taipei 101—no detective needed, that’s their turf. Is it a headset? A magical rabbit? Who knows. Speculation’s half the fun here.

### A Sprinkle of Startling Headlines

Seen the news about Brazen Blaze? It’s gone free-to-play! A risky move if you ask me. I mean, the market’s tiny enough, and free kinda stretches it thin. But for the kids, I guess, everything’s free fun. Fingers crossed Meta’s secretly bankrolling these. Otherwise? Some games are just bound for the road to nowhere.

And hey, Alex And The Jets’ VR mode just dropped. Mixed reality wasn’t cutting it on Quest 2, seemed like. Market’s troubled by bad sales and worse numbers—I smell a slow turn for MR.

Coray Air2? They’re flaunting these first-ever silicon carbide glasses. Chinese, no less! Costs like $700 launch price. Sounds fancy but I’d hold off until the reviews hit. Just saying.

### Kooky Little Bits

Oh, there’s the new Oakley Meta glasses—ZD Net thinks they’re better than Ray-Ban’s. I’d take that with a grain of style.

Bigscreen’s got a “VRChat Edition” headset now—purple and pricey. If you’re a VRChat nut, grab those exclusive goodies, I guess.

Anyone say Gaussian Splats? Some VRChat community wizardry lets you wield those in-world. Community power always blows my mind.

And did you hear about Meta’s Runtime Optimizer? Pretty nifty for devs finding bottlenecks—only if you’re into the tech nitty-gritty, that is.

Venice Immersive flung open its curtains to 69 global XR projects. Soak it all up from whatever cozy nook you’re perched in.

### Tangents & Tidbits

Gossip goes Meta’s eyeing the medical sphere. Go figure, huh?

Kickstarter for VR shoes—FreeAim—hit their goal. Fancy footwork for VR might just become a thing.

Oh, and Varjo’s ditching support for some headsets soon, bitter pill for users, I bet.

The New Yorker’s pondering AI for loneliness—is ‘The Jetsons’ future now a little less lonely or what?

## Friendly Neighbor News

Ahoy! Got a Squishies Quest key—whoever’s fastest nabs it. It’s a pudgy puzzle delight. If it’s snatched up, maybe toss a coin to those devs?

XR courses by Dilmer Valecillos are now free. Cheers to generosity, right?

Meet the FM DUO camera—a mammoth 12K at 30fps deal. That’s some hefty, immersive visual candy right there.

## A Happy Mess & Fun

Random giggle links: because who doesn’t need that?

## Do Some Good

Still not asking for me—but for those in Ukraine. Red Cross is there, doing the hard tasks. Give ’em a hand if you can.

And, big thanks to my Patreon crew—you’re the wind beneath these digital wings.

—

Phew, hope that wild ride was a thrill!