Microsoft’s HoloLens is now available for any rich American to buy

Alan Martin August 3, 2016

Back in March, Microsoft let early-bird, moneybags developers purchase an early HoloLens. It wasn’t as easy as just rocking up in a shop with $3,000 in your pocket and asking nicely though – you had to apply, then Microsoft would check your credentials and decide whether or not to let you give them your money.

Well, now the application process has been dropped, and developers in the United States and Canada can purchase up to five…

(Excuse me a moment, while I check the official plural of HoloLens.)

I’m going to go with “devices”.

You can buy up to five devices if you live in the United States or Canada, and have somewhere between $3,000 and $15,000 burning a hole in your pocket. Technically you have to be a developer to purchase one, but really there’s nothing to stop rich enthusiasts taking the plunge now – although you’ll almost certainly need to know your way around code (or at least coding forums) to get the most out of it.

According to a blog post from Microsoft, all of the early kits ordered by the previously vetted developers have been dispatched, but there’s no indicator of exactly how many there are out there in the wild. Enough that HoloLens-supported apps are appearing on the Windows Store and Microsoft has been having “fun trying them out every week.” hololens_3000_usa_canada

Alongside the announcement that any rich American or loaded Canadian can get their very own HoloLens to love and cherish, Microsoft also unveiled the HoloLens Commercial Suite, providing enterprise features “for added security and device management”. These include things such as the ability to limit what apps are run and PIN unlocking. You can find out more in the video below.