Microsoft video teases HoloLens 2 ahead of MWC launch

One of Mobile World Congress’s most anticipated reveals isn’t a phone at all. Microsoft is expected to announce the next generation HoloLens headset at an already announced event on February 24, and the company’s doing a bit more to stoke the flames.

Granted, there’s really not much to see in this new teaser. Vague forms of chips and cables take shape out melted ice, rocks and air — frankly, it’s the kind of thing you release when you don’t actually want to show anything off.

Perhaps even more important than the video itself is the source. Technical Fellow Alex Kipman is one of the key people behind the original HoloLens, so who better to reveal the second gen? The original headset was ahead of the mixed reality wave, but now that AR is starting to catch on all over the industry, the timing could be right for a big second-generation launch.

Reports have suggested a Qualcomm 850 chip and new Project Kinect Sensors. The headset is also said to be cheaper and smaller than its developer-focused predecessor, which could put Microsoft in prime position to push augmented reality forward.

More on what to expect from the show here.