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Nreal Air, which are arguably the most popular consumer AR (augmented reality) glasses right now, are getting an exciting software update.
Today, at the 2023 Game Developers Conference (GDC), Nreal has unveiled Nebula for Windows – a new addition to the Nebula AR user interface the smart glasses use.
Like the name suggests, Nebula for Windows "enhances the desktop gaming experience with a theater-size screen when tethered with Nreal Air."
According to Nreal, the inspiration for this update stems from the company learning that a huge portion of Nreal Air owners are using the device as a virtual screen for console gaming.
And if you've ever wondered why people buy into the exciting new technology that is AR, here's Nreal's own graph, showing some awesome, popular use cases:
How people are using the Nreal Air AR glasses
The company further states its reasoning for launching Nebula for Windows: "Looking to build on this momentum, the forthcoming availability of Nebula for Windows will be crucial in enabling Nreal to reach a wider mainstream audience of hardcore PC gamers."
"In fact, according to the same survey by Nreal, Nreal Air is being used as an essential accessory to augment their gaming experience. 68% of users are adopting Nreal Air for use as a giant screen for gaming, with 56% alone using it for console gaming. At a more granular level, the Steam Deck leads the pack with 36% of users making it their primary device to pair with Nreal Air. Playstation and Xbox use followed at 14%, with Nintendo Switch at 6.29% with the vast majority of gamers using Nreal Air to play AAA game titles."
Nebula for Windows explained
The Nreal Air look quite like normal sunglasses, and weigh only 79 grams
So what exactly will Nebula for Windows do for Nreal Air users? Well, first and foremost, it allows gamers to connect the smart glasses to their PC, fire up their favorite game, and use the Nreal Air as a huge, curved virtual display. In either a standard 16:9 aspect ratio, or an ultrawide 21:9.
Obviously, this is a vastly more affordable (and compact) way to experience ultrawide PC gaming, as opposed to buying a huge, curved display, considering how pricey those still are in 2023. Meanwhile the Nreal Air smart glasses cost just under $380.
"Furthermore, Nebula for Windows also comes with enhanced 3-DoF tracking capabilities, allowing gamers to bring a virtual gaming cockpit to their consoles for a more dynamic and realistic gaming experience. This feature has the potential to immerse gamers in the game world and make them feel like they are truly part of the action, without the need for expensive gaming equipment." - Nreal
Indeed, 3-DoF (3 degrees of freedom) tracking is what you may find in a traditional VR headset, and it's good news – means the Nreal Air have the potential to track your head's position in 3D space, making VR gaming that much more immersive. Nreal does specifically mention consoles, though, so we're yet to find out if 3-DoF tracking will also work on Windows PCs.
We're looking forward to experiencing the Nreal Air with its new Nebula for Windows feature soon enough; stay tuned for our impressions and review!
Rado, a tech enthusiast with a love for mobile devices, brings his passion for Android and iPadOS to PhoneArena. His tech journey began with MP3 players and has evolved to include tinkering with Android tablets and iPads, even running Linux and Windows 95 on them. Beyond tech, Rado is a published author, music producer, and PC game developer. His professional work on iPads, from producing songs to editing videos, showcases his belief in their capabilities. Rado looks forward to the future of mobile tech, particularly in augmented reality and multi-screen smartphones.
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