• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Microsoft

Microsoft Wants Businesses To Start Playing With Its HoloLens Headsets

By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 3, 2016, 5:58 AM ET
NASA

Microsoft released its HoloLens augmented reality headsets to software developers back in March, and now it’s trying to drive them into the enterprise.

The company has made a couple moves to this end. First, it has now made it possible for anyone in the U.S. and Canada to buy up to five units of the HoloLens Development Edition—the first iteration of the holographic computer—in the Microsoft Store.

Previously, buyers had to go through an application process to say they were developers, before waiting for an invitation to purchase the device. They also had to be members of the Windows Insider program, which is a community that tests out early versions of Microsoft’s software.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

Crucially, Microsoft (MSFT) has also now released what it calls the HoloLens Commercial Suite, a package that includes the HoloLens Development Edition along with a bunch of features for enterprise users.

Businesses’ IT departments get mobile device management capabilities for HoloLens, allowing them to manage the settings, apps and security configurations for multiple headsets simultaneously. They can also encrypt the data on the device, and set things up so people can use HoloLens to remotely access their corporate networks.

The suite provides a “kiosk mode” so the device can be limited to run only certain apps for demo or showcase purposes, and IT departments can also set up private app stores for use within their company.

Many people are looking forward to seeing the gaming potential of the HoloLens “mixed-reality” headsets, which superimpose virtual-reality imagery over what the user sees in the real world. However, they are still not exactly consumer products. They cost $3,000 a pop, but for many businesses looking to pilot new use cases, that’s probably not so expensive.

For more on HoloLens, watch our video.

As for what use cases businesses will come up with, that’s largely down to their needs and their creativity. As Microsoft noted in a Tuesday blog post, people are already using HoloLens for training flight crews and aircraft mechanics.

It’s worth noting that apps built for HoloLens should in future run on a wide range of devices. Microsoft said in June that it was working with chipmakers and many device manufacturers to get them building products for the underlying “Windows Holographic” platform.

About the Author
By David Meyer
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Commentary
Yes, you're getting a bigger tax refund. Your kids won't thank you for the $3 trillion it's adding to the deficit
By Daniel BunnJanuary 26, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, January 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJanuary 27, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, January 26, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJanuary 26, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
An unusual Fed ‘rate check’ triggered a free fall in the U.S. dollar and investors are fleeing into gold
By Jim EdwardsJanuary 26, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Despite running $75 billion automaker General Motors, CEO Mary Barra still responds to ‘every single letter’ she gets by hand
By Preston ForeJanuary 26, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
As AI wipes out desk jobs, Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser says the company is training 175,000 employees to ‘reinvent themselves’ before their roles change forever
By Emma BurleighJanuary 27, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.


Latest in

NewslettersCIO Intelligence
How CIOs and CHROs are working together to reimagine work as AI tools proliferate
By John KellJanuary 28, 2026
38 seconds ago
Sam Altman stands.
AIOpenAI
Sam Altman reportedly says ICE ‘is going too far’ while praising Trump as CEOs toe the line with Minneapolis shootings response
By Jacqueline MunisJanuary 28, 2026
44 seconds ago
beast
Personal FinanceSocial Media
MrBeast has figured out his next ‘transformative media channel’: 2.5 million fortune cookies with messages tied to his TV show
By Nick LichtenbergJanuary 28, 2026
1 hour ago
C-SuiteJeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos capped his Amazon salary at $80,000: ‘How could I possibly need more incentive?’
By Sydney LakeJanuary 28, 2026
2 hours ago
Worried baby boomer worker
SuccessCareers
Americans’ confidence in landing a job has hit a record low as AI steals roles and companies pull back hiring—and baby boomers are the most worried
By Emma BurleighJanuary 28, 2026
3 hours ago
Mark Cuban
SuccessCareer Advice
Billionaire Mark Cuban spends hours reading 1,000 emails a day on 3 devices—yet he’s telling Gen Z to shut their phones, get outside, and have more fun
By Preston ForeJanuary 28, 2026
3 hours ago