HP is launching its ExtendXR service to make managing virtual reality or augmented reality devices simpler for businesses.

Scott Rawlings, senior product manager for XR Business Solutions at HP, said in a blog post that the HP XR (extended reality) business team is introducing a new software-as-a-service solution that will streamline enterprise VR deployment and management across scale. .

In collaboration with ArborXR, an AR/VR device management company, HP is making it easy and secure to set up and manage a fleet of all-in-one VR devices with a new extended reality (XR) management platform. HP ExtendXR.

The strategic collaboration enables HP to leverage AR/VR technology to help businesses seamlessly scale their XR deployment, combined with HP’s global expertise and support while running on HP’s secure Horizon cloud infrastructure.

“We’re excited to power HP’s new XR platform,” said Brad Scoggin, CEO of ArborXR, in a statement. “By working together, ArborXR and HP are leading the enterprise AR/VR industry and making it easier for companies to scale XR deployments.”

HP ExtendXR will also be supported by HTC and Pico Interactive, who provide standalone VR solutions for businesses, all powered by Snapdragon XR platforms.

“HP has a strong portfolio of innovative solutions that are key to driving advancements in the XR landscape,” said Daniel O’Brien, General Manager, HTC Americas, in a statement. “We are excited to support HP’s ExtendXR software solution with our all-in-one headset, HTC Vive Focus 3. Together, we aim to help organizations achieve an easy way to scale VR deployments securely and efficiently. ”.

HP said that virtual reality has been developed in the last two years. The pandemic has made remote work a reality, and virtual reality has thrived in business as a result.

“Given the evolution and future of virtual reality in the enterprise, we believe HP Extend VR is an important step forward in enabling businesses to expand XR jobs,” Leland Hedges, general manager of Pico Interactive, said in a statement. . “We are excited to have this new solution available in our powerful standalone VR headset.”

HP has been very impressed with the virtual reality training, Rawlings said. PwC Consulting found that vocational students are almost three times more confident to take action and put their skills into practice after training through virtual reality and that virtual reality training is four times faster on average than the traditional approach in the classroom.

HP is also seeing innovation with a greater focus on health and wellness, specifically being able to improve how highly connected teams collaborate in the early stages of conceptual design for new products and architecture, and how teams improve engagement. of the client with the benefits of immersion and human interaction. Virtual experiences at scale.

However, as these solutions take off, customers are finding it difficult and time-consuming to set up hundreds or thousands of all-in-one VR devices. And, once they’re set up, there’s no easy way to deploy VR apps and keep everything up to date between the device’s software, operating system, and firmware. What has been missing is a complete end-to-end way to manage virtual reality in the business environment of medium and large organizations, Rawlings said.

HP ExtendXR features the following capabilities at launch, with updates planned for a monthly release cadence: optimized VR device setup and grouping; an easy-to-use, easy-to-manage, single-pane browser console for deploying VR apps and keeping your headset up-to-date, enabling support management from most phone, tablet, or PC devices, anytime, anywhere place; and the ability to control and enhance the VR headset experience for end users in an organization.

HP ExtendXR provides VR usage analytics built right into the service, and security features of HP’s ExtendXR solution include console access control, user roles, the option to host content on your own cloud storage S3, device and app update monitoring, and a 100% audit trail.

HP ExtendXR will be offered with two levels of service. The service will launch on March 1, 2022.