Microsoft released HoloLens 2 Development Edition for the United States back in November 2020. Compared to its predecessor, the mixed reality device makes use of an ARM processor - the Snapdragon 850 Compute Platform -, new sensors, and an increased field of view. Given that this is the Development Edition of the device, it also comes with Azure credits and trials for Unity Pro and Pixyz Plugin.
While Microsoft previously sold the HoloLens 2 Development Edition for an upfront cost of $3,500, it has now announced financing plans in order to make the device more accessible.
Currently, these financing plans are only available in the United States, and consist of four options at 0% interest:
- 18 monthly payments at $194.44/month + tax
- 24 monthly payments at $145.83/month + tax
- 30 monthly payments at $116.67/month + tax
- 36 monthly payments at $97.22/month + tax
As is usual with the Development Edition, customers also get $500 of Azure credit, a three-month Unity Pro subscription worth $450, and a three-month subscription to Pixyz Plugin valued at $300. This essentially means that customers get a combined value of $4,750 when they purchase the HoloLens 2 Development Edition for $3,500.
With the recent introduction of Microsoft Mesh, the company is banking on developers and organizations to take advantage of mixed reality devices such as HoloLens 2, as well as Azure cloud services in order to create immersive experiences. It is clear that the future of Mesh relies heavily on developer support, and these financing plans for HoloLens 2 Development Edition are just some of the ways that Microsoft is trying to entice developers on this front. You can purchase the mixed reality device from Microsoft here.