In Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Mixed Reality News
August 10, 2020 – Nreal, a developer of ready-to-wear mixed reality glasses, has today announced the retail availability of its Nreal Light glasses, in partnership with LG Uplus, the South Korean cellular carrier owned by LG Corporation. The Nreal Light consumer ready augmented reality (AR) glasses will debut first in South Korea through LG Uplus. The companies made the announcement at a conference hosted by LG Uplus and Nreal at LG Uplus’ headquarters in Seoul, South Korea.
Nreal stated that the availability of its mixed reality Nreal Light glasses throughout Korea by LG Uplus “marks a global event for the future of mobile Internet consumption”. Users will now be able to simply tether the Nreal Light glasses to a 5G compatible Samsung Note 20 series smartphone running on the LG Uplus network to experience a range of augmented and mixed reality features and functionality.
Nreal Light’s form factor offers a sunglasses-style design, which the company states provides “all the hallmarks of a consumer-grade AR device”, due to the glasses’ compact and lightweight build. On top of this, the glasses offer users a 52° Field of View (FoV), which the company states can simulate the experience of a portable IMAX-sized screen. With Nreal Light, users can watch their favourite shows or play their favourite games anywhere, in a massive visual environment, overlaid on top of the physical world around them, whilst still being portable enough to carry anywhere.
Nreal Light features its own 3D system which projects a digital world into a user’s field of view by transforming 2D apps onto a user defined 3D interface. Nreal’s 3D system, Nebula – which was first introduced at CES 2020 – has undergone a radical update in its user interface that makes it more familiar for smartphone users, but offers all the benefits of a 3D environment. With Nebula, users can watch shows while browsing the internet, and can arrange dozens of screens within their field of view, creating a unique user definable space.
Nreal states that, in partnership with LG Uplus, it has made hundreds of the world’s most popular mobile apps available on Nreal Light at launch – in addition to Nreal’s Nebula. These include apps such as Google Chrome, Facebook, and Instagram. Additionally, LG Uplus will be launching exclusive AR apps on Nreal Light this year including U+AR and U+VR.
Out of the box, the consumer version of Nreal Light will come with:
- A pair of Nreal Light glasses;
- A corrective lens frame that accommodates near sighted users;
- Four different sized magnetically attachable nose pads;
- A ‘VR Cover’, which acts as a lens shade to completely occlude a user’s field of view, allowing the Nreal Light glasses to double as a virtual reality (VR) headset. By blocking the view of the outside world, users enjoy a more immersive gaming or video viewing experience.
“We wanted to lower the barrier to the AR glass market with a realistic price and lightweight design,” said Song Dae-won, EVP of LG Uplus’s Future Device Unit. “If 5G services were focused on entertainment, this U+ Real Glass [LG’s own product branding name for the Nreal Light package] will provide a rich experience that will change your daily life. Through this, we hope that the popularization of AR will be in full swing and will be further activated in the 5G industry.”
Chi Xu, CEO and Founder of Nreal, commented: “This is a historic moment shaking the foundation of the mobile Internet industry. Nreal is offering the World’s First Consumer Ready AR Glasses, available first in Korea”. He added, “Our partnership with LG Uplus makes it possible to offer Nreal Light in a way that’s accessible while augmenting the value of your 5G smartphone by empowering you to experience the mobile internet instead in augmented reality.”
Nreal Light, which retails for 699,000 KRW (USD $586) in Korea, is now available within a subsidized package when purchasing a premium LG Uplus 5G data plan. The Nreal Light and 5G smartphone promotional bundle is made available in partnership with LG Uplus. The company states that the subsidized offering is available for 349,000 KRW (USD $295). In addition, starting August 21, Nreal Light will also be carried in LG Uplus’ retail stores throughout South Korea.
Preorders start on August 11 through the LG U+ online store. For more information on Nreal, please visit the company’s website.
Image credit: Nreal
About the author
Sam Sprigg
Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he has been covering XR industry news for the past seven years.
