Holographic/VR/AR Industry Development Weekly Report, Week 38, 2025 (September 15-21)

I. Industry Development
[Humanoid Robot Figure AI Secures $1 Billion in Funding]
It has been reported that Figure AI, a company developing humanoid robots, has secured over $1 billion in committed capital in a funding round, bringing its valuation to $39 billion. If the deal goes through, the company will become one of the most valuable startups.
Figure, leveraging recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence technology, is dedicated to developing robots with more human-like appearance and movements, making it one of the most sought-after startups in the field. The company previously stated its ambitious goal is to create humanoid robots with “universal functionality”—robots capable of reasoning and learning like humans.

[Apple (AAPL) Demonstrates First Live Demonstration of Brain Control Technology: ALS Patient Controls iPad with Thoughts]
Recently, Apple officially released visionOS 26, the latest version of its operating system for the Apple Vision Pro. VisionOS 26 is now available for download for all Vision Pro headset users by going to the Settings app, selecting General, and then clicking Software Update.
In visionOS 26, Apple introduces a new category of widgets that integrate into the space around you. Persona avatars have also been upgraded with more realistic hair and animations. Spatial Scenes add a sense of depth to 2D images. Safari now features spatial browsing, which hides distractions and allows you to interact with 3D models. A new environment for Jupiter has also been added.

[Meta Connect 2025: Three Glasses Join the Matrix, Unveiling Horizon TV and Hyperscape Features]
At its annual Meta Connect conference, Meta unveiled three new-generation AI glasses: the Meta Ray-Ban Display, the first smart glasses with a display; the popular Ray-Ban Meta 2nd Generation; and the Oakley Meta Vanguard. Meta also released a series of software updates, further outlining its XR ecosystem.

[Samsung’s (SSNGY) Android XR headset may be released on October 21st, with an expected price range of $1,800 to $3,000]
According to recent reports from Korean media, Samsung’s Android XR headset, codenamed “Project Moohan” or “Project Infinite,” has been confirmed to launch on October 21st and go on sale immediately.
Previous reports suggested Samsung might launch the Android XR headset on October 13th, but recent news indicates the date has been pushed back to later that month. This delay is minor, and considering this is a first-generation product, not a new Galaxy device, Samsung still has some room to maneuver.
Previous reports indicated Samsung’s Android XR headset would cost between $1,800 and $2,800, and this latest news further confirms this price range. While the product is priced lower than the Apple Vision Pro, its performance in daily use remains to be seen.

[Elon Musk Reveals Tesla (TSLA) is Accelerating Development of the Optimus V3 Humanoid Robot]

Reportedly, Musk recently mentioned the latest progress of its humanoid robot at the All-In Summit. Tesla is accelerating the development of the Optimus V3 humanoid robot, highlighting its design focus on three core challenges: human-level dexterity, a full stack of in-house actuators, and an AI5 inference chip.

The Optimus V3’s hand design will break through traditional mechanical structures, employing a forearm-integrated drive solution to reduce size and enhance flexibility. Each arm requires 26 actuators, and with an annual production volume of 1 million units, actuator efficiency will directly impact marginal costs.

[Snap (SNAP) Releases Snap OS 2.0 Update: Enhanced Browser, Gallery, and AI Features]
Reportedly, social media giant Snap has officially released Snap OS 2.0, bringing several key system updates to its developer-only AR glasses, Spectacles. Since launching Snap OS in the latest version of Spectacles last year, Snap has continued to expand its Lens-building capabilities for developers. These include the ability to build outdoor navigation experiences using GPS and compass direction; the ability to detect whether the user is holding the phone and access the system-level floating keyboard for text input; voice-to-text support in over 40 languages; and AI-powered features for instant 3D model generation.

This update not only optimizes core apps like the browser, Gallery, and Spotlight, but also signals that Snap is making the final push for its mass-market consumer AR glasses, “Specs.”

[Meta Confirms Third-Party Horizon OS Headsets in Development]

Meta announced the public release of its Horizon OS headset system back in 2024. However, no news about other third-party headsets was released during this year’s Meta Connect. Foreign Media reached out to Meta regarding this. Meta stated that despite the lack of live updates, the company is actively working with partners to bring Horizon OS to more devices.

[OpenAI Rumored to be Considering Smart Glasses]
OpenAI is reportedly considering developing ChatGPT glasses. Media reports suggest that OpenAI is poaching Apple employees in design, manufacturing, and supply chain to build a “full production line” of devices.

II. Market Dynamics
[Bloomberg: Apple (AAPL) to Launch First Non-Display Smart Glasses in the Next 12 to 16 Months]
Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman mentioned in the latest episode of Power On that Apple will enter the glasses market in the next 12 to 16 months, initially with a non-display pair to rival the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, with the ultimate goal being true AR glasses.
Gurman stated that Apple’s ultimate goal is to launch a true version of augmented reality (AR)—software and data viewable through the lenses—but this will take at least a few years. I believe Apple will achieve considerable success thanks to its brand influence and the ability to deeply integrate these devices with the iPhone.

[WiMi (WIMI) Layouts Blockchain Multi-Level Sharding and Hierarchical Collaboration Based on Heterogeneous Nodes]
In the field of blockchain technology, scalability has always been a key challenge that needs to be addressed. With the rapid growth of transaction data volume and the continuous increase in the number of users in blockchain systems, scalability has become increasingly important.

It is understood that Wimi Hologram Cloud Inc. is actively exploring a new blockchain scalability solution. The core of this solution lies in the use of multi-level sharding technology based on the heterogeneity of network nodes to enhance blockchain scalability. In WiMi’s research solution, heterogeneous nodes are dynamically scored based on their resource capacity and contribution to the protocol. By comprehensively considering these factors, the system can calculate a reasonable score for each node.

To further improve system performance and security, WiMi also introduces a new consensus mechanism. This consensus mechanism fully utilizes the characteristics of a hierarchical tree structure to achieve a more secure and decentralized consensus process. Through this hierarchical tree structure, the consensus process is distributed among nodes at different levels. The solution explored by WiMi has demonstrated significant improvements in multiple scalability metrics. In terms of throughput, thanks to its multi-level sharding technology and new consensus mechanism, the system can process more transactions in parallel, significantly increasing transaction throughput.

With the continued improvement and widespread application of this solution, it is expected to play a significant role in numerous fields, including finance, supply chain, and the Internet of Things. It will further propel blockchain technology into a new stage of development and lay a solid foundation for building a more efficient, secure, and decentralized digital world.

[PICO Plans to Pilot XR Large Spaces in Overseas Markets in the Second Half of the Year]

At the 2025 China International Fair for Trade in Services, PICO revealed that it had received strong interest in its XR Large Space technology solutions from clients in countries such as Singapore and Spain. Based on this, PICO plans to pilot selected XR Large Spaces in overseas markets in the second half of this year, prioritizing the Asian and European markets before expanding into North America.

Regarding its overseas market expansion, PICO plans a phased approach, with pilot projects initially launching in the Asian and European markets in the second half of the year. The Asian and European markets are diverse and highly receptive to emerging technologies. Some countries already have business dealings with PICO. For example, in VR hardware sales, PICO has already launched products in several European countries and in Southeast Asian markets like Singapore, building a solid market foundation and creating favorable conditions for the implementation of XR large-scale technology solutions.

[OpenAI is accelerating its expansion into robotics!]
According to media reports, OpenAI is accelerating its investment in robotics, perhaps by establishing a new team focused on humanoid robots, betting that interaction with the physical world is a key step towards achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Sources familiar with the matter revealed that OpenAI has recently hired several researchers with expertise in humanoid robot control algorithms, with public recruitment announcements clearly targeting the humanoid robotics project. Job postings also indicate that the company is seeking experts with experience in teleoperation and simulation, key technologies for training humanoid robots.