About a year ago, Google announced Google Cardboard, a low-cost virtual reality headset that captured the imagination of enthusiasts worldwide. But Google being first doesn't mean it's the only company that can play by those rules. In a few weeks, Microsoft will host a hackathon in Russia, and the star of the event will apparently be the Microsoft VR Kit, Redmond's answer to Cardboard.
Microsoft has an ace up its sleeve that could amaze millions: HoloLens, the augmented reality headset that stole the show at every conference. It's a high-profile project, so it makes sense that Redmond is taking it slowly. Some tech media describe HoloLens as a hybrid device, combining augmented reality with virtual components. However, it seemed that Microsoft wasn't planning to follow general VR trends in the near future. Until now.
The latest round of news comes from Russia, where Microsoft will be holding a hackathon from October 17 to 18. The goal is for participants to work on corporate applications, educational tools, and games. Everything seems normal until you notice Microsoft added an extra ingredient called VR Kit. Technical information about VR Kit is nonexistent, and the only solid piece of its appearance is a press image presenting it as a competitor to Google Cardboard. As expected, the Microsoft VR Kit is inspired by the company's Lumia smartphones, and if I had to guess, I'd say the phone in the image is a Lumia 930.
Microsoft's standard policy is not to comment on rumors or speculation, so it's no surprise that the official hackathon page has been taken down. We feel for Redmond, but the genie is out of the bottle, and now everyone is wondering if the VR Kit will follow the same path as Google Cardboard: a free and open design for everyone to reproduce and modify.
