A new blueprint issued by five national Chinese agencies aims to develop the domestic metaverse for industrial use through technologies like blockchain and AI.

Legions of fans have this week been celebrating the ‘birthday’ of Japan’s best known Vocaloid – a computer-synthesised singing voice software that comes with a virtual avatar.

Would you like a digital ‘clone’ to relieve you of routine tasks? Would you listen to songs by synthesised artists? Japanese start-ups are betting that you will.

At Germany’s Bayreuth Festival, Wagner’s Parsifal was infused with augmented reality (AR) to bring fantastical images to the audience – those lucky enough to have goggles, at least.

MWC Shanghai, the regional edition of the world’s largest mobile communications industry trade show, marks its first decade in China this year.

Don’t ditch your TV yet – the Apple Vision Pro augmented reality headset doesn’t offer consumers enough despite the tie-up with Disney. But if House of Mouse creators embrace it, they may find ways to win us over.

Meta Platforms said it will lower the minimum age for a Quest headset user account from 13 years old to 10 later this year, despite rising concerns about children spending too much time on social media.

It’s just a small metal box, but the Mac Studio packs Apple’s most advanced M2 Max/Ultra chips, is lightning fast and can connect to 8 displays at once. It far outperforms any other computer our reviewer has tested.

Gucci and Ralph Lauren have flocked to Roblox to launch digital fashion experiences, but Dior and Louis Vuitton’s parent company hopes to ply Gen Z too with its new metaverse strategy

Electronics contract manufacturer Luxshare, a major supplier of AirPods for Apple that has also won iPhone 15 orders, emerged as the assembler of the US tech giant’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, according to a bill of materials analysis.

Apple Vision Pro is the US tech giant’s first major new product in a decade and allows users to experience digital content via a headset.

Apple’s Vision Pro is the best AR and VR headset on the market and represents the future of computing – even at US$3,499, says Ben Sin after testing the mixed-reality device.

The US$3,499 Vision Pro is unlikely to be a key driving force in China’s AR and VR device market, but it can boost innovation in the sector, analysts say.

Researchers suggest scents could also be used in medicine and education as well, helping people trigger memories and communicate.

The Beijing municipal government is soliciting subsidised projects researching artificial intelligence, 3D content, and AR and VR applications.

The metaverse could contribute as much as US$760 billion to US GDP, according to the report from Deloitte and commissioned by Facebook owner Meta Platforms.

A highlight of this year’s French May Arts Festival, the ‘Virtually Versailles’ experience – featuring interactive activities, a VR experience and more – has landed in Hong Kong.

Gen Zs and millennials are expected to take the luxury world by storm by 2030 – so how are watch brands preparing to adapt to these tech-driven generations?

There is growing speculation about Apple committing to develop VR or AR goggles, but after Meta’s false start in the metaverse and Google dropping Google Glass, experts wonder if the timing is right.

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Hong Kong Design Institute have bought land and are planning virtual experiences in The Sandbox.

Nick Clegg, head of global affairs for Meta Platforms, took to the metaverse on Wednesday to insist that the future of computing will take place on that still not-quite-yet-defined virtual world.

The move is part of a restructuring that will see the firm not fill 5,000 openings, kill off low-priority projects and ‘flatten’ layers of middle management.

Meta Platforms cut the price of some of its Quest virtual reality headsets, including its high-end mixed reality device, in part because demand has been weaker than anticipated.

AirPods supplier Luxshare has reportedly been selected by Apple to manufacture its much-anticipated mixed-reality headset.

Meta Platforms is working with Tencent Holdings to sell the Quest 2 VR head to Chinese consumers, according to a Chinese media report.

Start-up Sandbox VR has partnered with Netflix to bring its hit South Korean drama to life in immersive, hi-tech facilities.

Some teams will see nearly a third of their staff cut in the latest round of lay-offs for the TikTok owner, people familiar with the matter said.