Taiwanese tech company ASUS officially confirmed its plans to launch its first augmented reality headset device sometime in 2016.
As of this time, ASUS has not revealed any more details regarding its plans. However, ASUS' Chief Executive Officer Jerry Shen recently confirmed the company's intention to enter the augmented reality market sometime by next year, adding the technology's practicality and usefulness over virtual reality devices, CNET reported.
Unlike virtual reality, augmented reality works by extending objects from the virtual world into the real world environment. Magic Leap Inc., a Google-backed startup from the U.S., is one of the companies out there that has been working on augmented reality technology.
Magic Leap is currently working on an eyeglass device that uses augmented reality concepts. Last month, the company invited developers to build apps that will work with their new technology, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Another example is Microsoft's latest HoloLens, a smart glasses headset that uses sensors, sound, and a natural user interface that enables users to interact through hand gestures, among others. It's worth noting that the new ASUS headset is expected to cost less than the HoloLens, according to ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih.
In the meantime, the Taiwanese company is launching its latest all-in-one Zen AiO Pro computer which could take on the likes of Apple's iMac. This computer comes in an aluminum body with a 23.8-inch 4K display screen. Inside, the Zen AiO Pro packs an i3/i5/i7 processor along with up to 32GB of DDR4 memory.