For the past year, we’ve heard little about Sony’s standalone MR headset, the SRH-S1, since its initial reveal at CES 2024. Now, Sony has finally announced both the release date and the pricing for this enterprise-geared device.
Produced in partnership with Siemens, the SRH-S1 is set to make its debut in February 2025, carrying a price tag of $4,750. As expected, this targets the enterprise sector. Prospective buyers can start placing their orders on January 23, 2025, and the headset will be available directly through Siemens.
Initially, the headset grabbed attention for its potential appeal to creatives. However, it’s clear now that Sony and Siemens are steering this tech marvel towards industrial applications. They aim to “enable the industrial metaverse” by enhancing product design and manufacturing processes, utilizing Siemens’ robust suite of high-fidelity mixed reality tools.
When it comes to specifications, the SRH-S1 doesn’t disappoint. It boasts a 13.6MP (3,552 × 3840) per-eye resolution, thanks to Sony’s very own ECX344A OLED microdisplay. Coupled with the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset, it integrates what Sony describes as “proprietary rendering technology” intended for real-time 3D object rendering.
This mixed reality device is equipped with passthrough video, and features a flip-up visor. It also brings a unique pair of ergonomic controllers to the table, designed to enhance intuitive 3D interactions. These controllers come in a stylus-type pointer and ring format.
Over the last year, Siemens has been hard at work refining its enterprise-focused Immersive Engineering tools. These tools are crafted to allow SRH-S1 users to design 3D assets in CAD, interact with detailed models, and conduct remote multi-user design reviews using Siemens’ cloud-based NX X platform.
Reflecting on the journey so far, Bob Haubrock, senior VP of Product Engineering Software at Siemens Digital Industries Software, shared, “After previewing the HMD at CES last year, our collaborative teams have developed tools that revolutionize mixed reality use in engineering. These tools not only foster global collaboration via high-fidelity 3D models but also facilitate co-creation directly on crucial 3D CAD data in a managed and secure environment.”
Adding to this buzz is Sony’s announcement at CES concerning another headset crafted for the creative professionals, the XYN. Although currently under wraps without a set price or release date, it seems to be a variant of the SRH-S1. The primary distinction? Its sleek black color contrasts with the SRH-S1’s gray hue. However, it remains in prototype stages for now.
