Firefox Reality also coming to original HoloLens

Feb 25, 2019 10:48 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft launched HoloLens 2 at the MWC 2019 conference this week, and the company has worked together with a series of partners to improve the experience offered to customers.

One of these partners is none other than Mozilla, which is finally bringing Firefox browser to the holographic headset.

Later this year when HoloLens 2 will become available for customers, Mozilla also plans to announce Firefox Reality for Microsoft’s device, while also intending to release it for the original HoloLens model too.

“In the coming months, we will be working with the Rust community to bring the language and runtime that enable us to deliver a more secure experience to the HoloLens platforms. And we will then build on our previous work on AR headsets to bring our next generation web platform, Servo, to the HoloLens 2 when it is available this summer,” Lans Bergstrom, Director of Engineering for Mixed Reality at Mozilla, explains.

HoloLens 2 launching this summer

Firefox Reality already comes with support for a series of virtual and augmented reality headsets, including here Oculus Go and HTC Vive, and given Microsoft’s push for the HoloLens, the company wants to expand its efforts aimed at improving the experience with AR content on the web.

“Alongside our desktop and standalone VR browser efforts, this prototype of Firefox Reality for HoloLens 2 will ensure that the immersive web works for all users, regardless of device they are on,” Mozilla explains.

HoloLens 2 won’t be offered to consumers, but only to companies, yet Mozilla launching a custom version of Firefox for the holographic headset is good news anyway.

Firefox will become the second browser available on the HoloLens after Microsoft Edge, though given that Microsoft is planning major changes in terms of browser development with the adoption of Chromium, there’s a chance more apps would follow in its footsteps very soon.