A company insider has revealed that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has dismissed 60 workers from the workforce based in Israel whose main agenda was the Hololens.
The employee who was also affected by the layoffs also added that 30 of the individuals who were removed from the project were on contract while the others were Microsoft employees. The latter have one month to secure other positions in the company or else they will be exited from the company completely.
The layoffs point to a change in the company’s decision towards the pursuit of the Hololens project. Some analysts believed that it might be pointing towards the completion, but the source revealed that Microsoft plans to shift production of the Hololens from Israel to the United States so that it can pursue different technologies from the one used in Israel.
The early versions of the device faced some problems with the field of view. There are rumors that the company is seeking new strategies to widen the aspects of the product. So far it has not been confirmed whether the layoffs are related to the shortcomings of the project. Nonetheless, the company is most likely to focus on improving the field of view once the development continues.
The Hololens is expected to be released for developers in 2016. The company has not been shy on the pricing. It is expected to cost $3,000 though those who rush to purchase one will most likely receive the early rendition. If the field of view will have significant changes, then buyers will be more justified if they wait for the final rendition.
Microsoft has remained relatively silent about the device thus creating a lot of suspense among augmented reality enthusiasts and the tech market in general. The company has adopted a similar approach with other products such as the Surfacebook. Therefore, the firm is expected to produce nothing short of a glorious gadget.
The device already has numerous applications for Hololens, ranging from space exploration to industrial design for motorcycles and vehicles. This is because the device can be used to visualize a full scale of a project, something that was previously limited to computer screens.
Sources: digitaltrends, fastcompany
