Microsoft HoloLens is finally heading to seven new countries in addition to the United States and Canada. As of Dec. 2, the device became available for preorder in Australia, Ireland, France, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Customers living in Japan can also avail of the preorder but they will have to wait a little longer since the device will ship in that location next month.
Microsoft also plans to roll out the device in more countries next year.
Pricing
The announcement came by way of a brief email sent to customers. After identifying the covered locations, Microsoft merely encouraged buyers to get help if they encounter problems or just contribute to the ongoing HoloLens conversation.
The AR headset comes in two versions, the developer edition and the commercial edition, which is aimed for businesses. Pricing is, of course, different for these devices as you will find in the detailed information below. This is attributed to the fact that the developer edition has more features such as device encryption, VPN and long-term servicing, among others.
| Location | Developer Edition | Commercial Edition |
| United Kingdom | £2,719 | £4,529 |
| Australia | AU$4369 | AU$7269 |
| France | €3299 | €5489 |
| Germany | €3299 | €5489 |
| New Zealand | NZ$4699 | NZ$7829 |
| Ireland | €3299 | €5489 |
| United States | USD 3,000 | USD 5,000 |
| Canada | CAD $4,000 | CAD $6,669 |
Pricing is based on the $3,000 HoloLens value in the United States. Some minor differences to regional price tags are largely due to exchange rates.
HoloLens Preorder Details
It is important to remember that HoloLens was already available for purchase in the past. But the transaction entailed a thoroughly roundabout process, including the need to fill out a form and to contact a Microsoft account manager. Now, consumers can merely head to the respective Microsoft Stores found in each of the above mentioned countries to reserve a unit.
The six covered countries, excluding Japan, were also already identified in an October statement alongside the news of the preorder availability. It is not yet clear whether the announcement has been well received by the market.
On Expanding Augmented Reality Platform
The recent expansion of availability highlights Microsoft's aggressive push for the AR headgear. It has been in development for a few years already and it debuted last 2014. As it enters the market, it will likely compete with virtual reality devices such as the Oculus Rift, HTC Vive and Google Daydream View VR.
In the HoloLens rollout, it seems that Microsoft is more concerned with the developer segment rather than the mainstream market.
As a new platform, the device suffers from a dearth of applications and content, which could seriously undermine its viability. By encouraging developer adoption, Microsoft can expect to build a more comprehensive array of apps, which is key in getting consumers interested.
