Over the last year, news about Sony’s SRH-S1 standalone MR headset has been scarce since its initial reveal at CES 2024. However, the curtain is finally lifting as Sony has now announced the official launch date and pricing for this enterprise-targeted device.
Launched in partnership with Siemens, the Sony SRH-S1 will make its debut in February 2025 with a price tag of $4,750. This headset is squarely aimed at the enterprise sector, with orders starting on January 23, 2025, available exclusively through Siemens.
Initially pitched as a tool for creatives, Sony and Siemens have refocused this device towards industrial applications. According to the companies, the SRH-S1 will play a pivotal role in “enabling the industrial metaverse,” and aims to elevate product design and manufacturing processes through Siemens’ advanced mixed reality tools.
The SRH-S1 boasts impressive features including a 13.6MP (3,552 × 3840) per-eye resolution, powered by Sony’s own ECX344A OLED microdisplay and the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset. Sony also introduces its “proprietary rendering technology” for seamless real-time 3D object rendering.
As a versatile mixed reality headset, it includes passthrough video, a handy flip-up visor, and ergonomically designed controllers that enhance 3D interactions. The controllers resemble a stylus-like pointer and a ring, allowing for intuitive use.
Over the past year, Siemens has fine-tuned its suite of enterprise-centric Immersive Engineering tools. These tools aim to enable SRH-S1 users to create 3D assets within CAD environments, interact with models, and even conduct remote multi-user design sessions using Siemens’ cloud-based NX X platform.
Reflecting on their journey since CES last year, Bob Haubrock, Senior VP of Product Engineering Software at Siemens Digital Industries Software, noted the transformation in their approach to mixed reality in engineering. He emphasized their tools are reshaping global collaboration via high-fidelity 3D models and enabling secure co-creation on vital 3D CAD data.
In related news from CES, Sony unveiled plans for the release of another headset focused on creative professionals, dubbed XYN. While details on pricing and release remain under wraps, XYN is reportedly still a prototype. Interestingly, it appears to be a variant of SRH-S1, distinguished by its black exterior as opposed to the SRH-S1’s grey finish.
