Microsoft has opened up sales of the HoloLens augmented reality headset Development Edition to all customers in the United States and Canada.
Previously, the HoloLens was only available to be purchased by companies and developers through the sales representatives of Microsoft. The augmented reality headset can now be purchased directly from the online Microsoft Store.
According to a blog post by HoloLens project head Alex Kipman, interested customers can purchase up to five units of the device, which comes with a price tag of $3,000 each.
Technically, sales were only opened up to developer and business customers, but since Microsoft also waived the previous requirement of submitting an application to be able to purchase the HoloLens, the augmented reality headset is now freely available to anyone willing to pay for it.
The only requirement for customers to buy the HoloLens Development Edition is a Microsoft account, which is easy to acquire. Purchasing the device, however, will request customers to acknowledge that the product they are buying is not the finished product that Microsoft intends to roll out to consumers.
Customers looking to buy the HoloLens will also be asked to not resell the device, and to also acknowledge that refunds will not be allowed.
Purchasing the HoloLens Development Edition through its dedicated page on the Microsoft website will get customers the augmented reality headset, a clicker that allows users to input commands, a carrying case, a microfiber cloth, a charger and a micro-USB 2.0 cable.
In the same blog post, Kipman also announced the HoloLens Commercial Suite, which is a result of feedback from companies looking for a version of the augmented reality headset they can safely use within their businesses. The package includes the Development Edition headset and enterprise features for additional security measures and device management options.
The move to open up sales for the HoloLens will likely expand the developer community working on apps for the augmented reality headset. The current developer and commercial partners of Microsoft for the project have already made great headway into applications for the HoloLens, including training modules for flight crews and aircraft mechanics and providing golf professionals and fans with more ways to enjoy the sport.
Gamers are also excited about the video game capabilities that the HoloLens can offer. An unofficial video demo created with the Unity engine and the HoloLens SDK showed what massively popular mobile game Pokémon GO would be like on the augmented reality headset, further generating buzz on future HoloLens games.
