Bekker's Blog

Blog archive

A HoloLens for Any Developer (with $3,000)

Microsoft's hotly anticipated augmented reality platform HoloLens is no longer an invite-only affair.

In conjunction with the release Tuesday of the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, Microsoft moved beyond its initial four-month program of shipping HoloLenses to select developer and commercial partners and opened the not-yet-production-ready devices to North American buyers.

"We've fulfilled the orders for our first waves of developers, and today I'm pleased to announce that we're expanding the program, making HoloLens Development Edition available to all developers and business customers in the United States and Canada," wrote Alex Kipman, technical fellow in the Windows and Devices Group at Microsoft, in a blog post.

The Microsoft HoloLens Developers Edition is on sale in the U.S. online store for $3,000, a price that includes the goggle headset, a clicker, a carrying case, a charger and cable, a microfiber cloth, nose pads and an overhead strap. Customers are allowed to buy up to five HoloLens devices and are warned that it's for developers only, non-refundable and not intended for use by children under 13.

The intention of the broader release is to encourage development and commercial partners to begin creating the killer apps that will make the devices widely appealing once they reach the commercial release stage.

Kipman also announced the release of a HoloLens Commercial Suite, which includes a limited demo/showcase mode, Mobile Device Management for HoloLens, integration with Azure Active Directory for credentials, controlled OS updates to the devices through Windows Update for Business, BitLocker data encryption and secure boot, and the ability to connect to networks using a HoloLens either remotely via a VPN or wirelessly with Wi-Fi credentials.

Posted by Scott Bekker on August 03, 2016


Featured

  • Microsoft Offers Support Extensions for Exchange 2016 and 2019

    Microsoft has introduced a paid Extended Security Update (ESU) program for on-premises Exchange Server 2016 and 2019, offering a crucial safety cushion as both versions near their Oct. 14, 2025 end-of-support date.

  • An image of planes flying around a globe

    2025 Microsoft Conference Calendar: For Partners, IT Pros and Developers

    Here's your guide to all the IT training sessions, partner meet-ups and annual Microsoft conferences you won't want to miss.

  • Notebook

    Microsoft Centers AI, Security and Partner Dogfooding at MCAPS

    Microsoft's second annual MCAPS for Partners event took place Tuesday, delivering a volley of updates and directives for its partners for fiscal 2026.

  • Microsoft Layoffs: AI Is the Obvious Elephant in the Room

    As Microsoft doubles down on an $80 billion bet on AI this fiscal year, its workforce reductions are drawing scrutiny over whether AI's ascent is quietly reshaping its human capital strategy, even as official messaging avoids drawing a direct line.