Microsoft has been quietly working on the future of consumer AR

An attendee wears a Microsoft Corp. HoloLens 2 headset as he uses the Bentley Systems Inc. Synchro XR augmented reality (AR) app, at the Microsoft Corp. stand on the opening day of the MWC Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, on Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. At the wireless industry’s biggest conference, over 100,000 people are set to see the latest innovations in smartphones, artificial intelligence devices and autonomous drones exhibited by more than 2,400 companies. Photographer: Angel Garcia/Bloomberg

LOS ANGELES: When it comes to flashy augmented reality (AR) glasses for consumers, all eyes are on two companies these days: Magic Leap, which released its Magic Leap One developer headset last summer, and Apple, which is reportedly getting ready to unveil an AR device next year. 

One company that isn’t getting quite as much attention, despite having worked in AR for years, is Microsoft. That’s largely due to the fact that Microsoft’s Hololens headset has been positioned as an enterprise device, made for healthcare professionals instead of gamers. But make no mistake: Microsoft has had its eyes set on the consumer AR market for quite some time – and it is increasingly hinting at plans to show off its vision for how we all may use AR one day.