XR Weekly Update (June 16, 2025): Meta & Oakley Launch Glasses Friday, Snap’s Specs Coming 2026, and More!

Sure thing! Here’s a stab at it:

Hey there from Cupertino, where Apple’s the big deal around these parts. I’m here for a week, juggling some meetings before jetting off to be a mentor at XRCC in Berlin. Silicon Valley vibes, you know? Hopefully, this stint is smoother than last week’s AWE — yeah, caught a nasty bug and shuffled through the event like a zombie auditioning for Resident Evil. Anyway, good vibes, please! And here’s your scoop on this week’s XR buzz.

This Week’s Top Gossip

So, get this, Meta and Oakley might drop some snazzy glasses on Friday. Yup, the rumor mill has been churnin’ — these are said to be aimed at athletes, complete with a camera smack in the middle. Kind of like an eyeball for your forehead. There’s even a new “oakleymeta” profile floating around socials, all cryptic and trippy. Just a teaser saying “The next evolution is coming on June 20.” Feels like a summer blockbuster promo, right? Honestly, I thought they’d save it for Meta Connect, but hey, Summer’s sunglasses season, so maybe it’s strategy genius or just luck. I’m curious — who wouldn’t be?

More Tidbits Worth a Peek

Oh, Snap! Literally. Evan Spiegel announced at AWE that brand new Spectacles are sliding into the scene in 2026. Allegedly, they’ll be all lightweight and packed with goodies. They’re even dumping the old “Spectacles” name and going with “Specs.” Catchy, huh? No deets yet — pun alert — but they’ll sync up with Snapchat’s existing vibes. Could they be the tipping point for standalone AR? Fingers crossed.

Qualcomm also made noise at AWE with their AR1+ chip. Gets techy here, but it consumes less power and lets AI do some magic right on the glasses. Privacy boosts, yay! Saw a live demo and yep, pretty mind-blowing stuff when you think about privacy keeping data locked away all cozy on your device.

Speaking of cozy, Google’s been up to some crafting in the XR lab. Rumor has it Samsung’s Project Moohan is set to debut at an Unpacked event. But the kicker is HP’s planning to launch some crazy expensive teleconferencing gadget with Google Beam, swanky 3D visuals and all. It’s gonna be called HP Dimension — sounds like a sci-fi flick, right? With a nifty price tag of $25K, but add Google Beam separately ’cause why not, right?

Oh, and Apple’s at it again, releasing bits about Widgets in Vision Pro. Expect them on walls like avant-garde post-its or something. Plus, we may soon see pages in the Vision OS store specifying if you need those PSVR 2 controllers or not. A move sure to please gamers but probably turns niche gaming into niche-niche gaming. Tricky stuff!

Random Snippets and Shoutouts

Mbucchia, this hero in headsets, is developing a SteamVR driver for WMR headsets. Let’s save those forgotten gadgets from the tech graveyard!

Rumor alert: Apparently, Meta’s upcoming headset could be packing some nifty features like face unlock and MicroOLED panels. Just whispers for now, but sounds snazzy if you ask me.

And rumor has it Palmer Luckey’s teasing out the strategy behind his military AR headset, Eagle Eye. Steep prices, but worth every penny if they save lives, right? Hinting that it’ll outshine Apple Vision Pro, at least spec-wise.

Seems like OpenXR is getting spatial computing chops, bringing plane tracking, spatial anchors, all that jazz. Could be a developer’s dream for cross-platform shenanigans.

Lastly, The Juicy Reviews and Content Curious

Zombie Army VR and Hidden Memories among others are in the review spotlight. Mixed vibes though — from lovely graphics to gameplay grumbles. Meanwhile, games like Reach promise parkour thrills but maybe bring some VR motion drama. Console yourself with the sensory fun.

Right, I gotta wrap this up before it spirals into a novel. Before I forget, don’t forget the real heroes — folks donated through my Patreon, thumbs up to you all! And FYI, if you’re moved to help, think about donating to those affected by the war, especially in Ukraine. The Red Cross is rallying for support.

Catch you next time, and remember — keep those vibes strong!

(Header image by Meta)

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