Lenovo and Motorola Partner to Develop Leaked AR Headset, Codenamed: Ironman

Lenovo and Motorola Partner to Develop Leaked AR Headset, Codenamed: Ironman

mark
By mark
Published: 17-12-2021
Updated: 30-01-2023

A leak reveals that Lenovo and Motorola have partnered up to develop an upcoming AR headset codenamed: “Project Ironman”. Indicating for Lenovo their next device in their ThinkReality line, and Motorola future-proofing themselves in on-the-go, 5G enabled AR.

Lenovo and Motorola team up for Project Ironman

The leaked Augmented Reality headset codenamed: Ironman is from a collaboration between Lenovo and Motorola. This is considered the next edition in Lenovo’s ThinkReality line. The release came from the well known leaker, Evan Blass, posting two pictures on Twitter with the words:

“What do you get when you cross a Lenovo AR headset with a Motorola-designed, touchpad-bearing neckband — all of it spearheaded by Verizon as a marquee use case for its 5G ultrawideband network? Meet “Project Ironman.””

The headset is a tethered AR device, estimated to cost between $2,000 to $2,500. This suggests that it will go up against the likes of Microsoft’s Hololens 2 and Magic Leap 1. While the release will further increase the competitive landscape of AR devices with Apple’s upcoming AR headset and the Kickstarter-funded Lynx-R1.

The Ironman device is considered to connect directly to the developing 5G Verizon network: hinting at a device used on the go. As this faster mobile network expands the use of XR devices through low latency,  high throughput and capacity. Moreover, implicating that the headset is targeting AR fieldwork. Such as construction workers, architects, and general industry workers. A market Lenovo currently has a presence within.

vr expert - project ironman headset

What this indicates for both Lenovo and Motorola

Lenovo’s ThinkReality AR platform is renowned for its device-agnostic technologies and enterprise-level cloud services. Namely, customers can access SDKs (Software Development Kits), developer portals, microservices, device management, and content management. Making it an ideal platform for the enterprise AR market in that it provides industrial workers flexible and real-time access to critical expertise and on-site information.

Previously, Lenovo expanded its enterprise presence through a partnership with RealWear. Realwear is considered one of the best and most prominent assisted reality solutions provider. A partnership aimed at designing and developing cutting-edge products for industrial workers

The strategic reasoning for Motorola to enter such a Lenovo partnership is to future proof its smartphone offerings with AR. In essence, the rise of 5G opens wider VR/AR wearable adoption on the go. So by teaming up with Lenovo’s extensive know-how into reality devices means that Motorola’s smartphones will be ready for the upcoming boom in smartphone-related AR market.

vr expert - realwear worker

Conclusion

Lenovo and Motorola’s partnership of a new AR headset codenamed ‘Ironman’ indicates the next-in-line offering in Lenovo’s ThinkReality reality portfolio. It is said to be priced in the realm of Microsoft’s Hololens 2 and aimed at enterprises utilizing fieldwork.

Furthermore, this partnership for Motorola is preparing for the upcoming growth surge of AR in smartphones and the potential market shares this will provide.

It will be interesting to see the full spec sheet of Project Ironman and further details on the upcoming AR headset.