Microsoft introduced a new edition of the HoloLens 2 this week, which is “designed, built, and tested to support regulated industrial environments.”
The HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition adds a few standards and certifications to the headset, along with changes to warranty and unit replacement. The Industrial Edition meets the “clean room compatible” standard, with an ISO 14644-1 Class 5-8 rating, as well as the “Intrinsic safety” standard, with a UL Class I, Division 2 rating.
The headset also comes with a two year warranty and a ‘Rapid Replacement Program’ which Microsoft says “minimizes downtime, with advance exchange and expedited shipping.”
The HoloLens 2 started shipping in November 2019 as an enterprise-level, standalone AR headset, priced at $3,500. A successor to the original HoloLens, we found that the HoloLens 2 made some good improvements to comfort and accessibility. In June last year, the headset was made available to purchase directly for non-enterprise customers, but not for any cheaper — it still carried the same hefty $3,500 price tag.
The Industrial Edition shipping later this year is even pricier, at $4,950 per unit. The increase is likely to cover the new standards and comprehensive replacement program, given that industrial environments might see the headset needing to be replaced or repaired more frequently.
In August last year, a new HoloLens 2 application was released that helps doctors and nurses safely identify symptoms of COVID-19 patients using volumetric capture.
HoloLens 2 Industrial Edition shipments will begin in Spring 2021, with pre-orders now open to all existing HoloLens 2 markets.
You can read more about the Industrial Edition over on Microsoft’s blog, and be sure to also check out our hands-on with the original HoloLens 2 from MWC 2019.
