EE PARTNERS WITH AUGMENTED REALITY INNOVATOR – NREAL – TO EXCLUSIVELY LAUNCH ‘NREAL AIR’ AR GLASSES IN THE UK

  • Offering a big screen experience, anytime, anywhere, Nreal Air AR glasses will be available exclusively from the UK’s best network for 5G, EE, later this spring
  • Nreal Air features a 201-inch expanded Full HD virtual display at 6 meters*, fine-tuned audio and a sunglasses-inspired design for a truly immersive digital experience on the go
  • The Nreal Air glasses are set to launch as 35%** of Brits reveal they wish they could take their big screen gaming and movie experience with them when on the move

EE today announced it has partnered with leading AR company, Nreal, to exclusively bring the Nreal Air AR glasses to the UK’s best network for 5G. The move forms part of EE’s ongoing commitment to provide customers with exciting experiences from the world’s most innovative companies and will see the glasses available from later this spring.

The latest AR experience on the move

With the latest AR technology, fine-tuned audio, and a massive 201-inch expanded Full HD virtual display, Nreal Air is a great way to experience digital content on the move. When combined with a compatible smartphone connected to EE’s 5G network, the glasses open-up new possibilities for mobile gaming via the cloud as well as streaming high-definition movies and TV shows. Perfect for the 1 in 5 Brits who state that watching videos and online gaming via a giant virtual screen on the go is what most excites them about Augmented Reality.

Connecting a Bluetooth gaming controller can also turn your smartphone into a portable console when coupled with a game-streaming platform.

Nreal Air supports two different modes. In “Air Casting” mode, customers can mirror their phone screen and enjoy their entire mobile experience on a 130-inch HD virtual display. The “MR Space” mode takes customers into a Mixed Reality environment and gives them a taste of innovative AR technologies. They can position multiple virtual screens as large as 201 inches in 3D space, for example, they can experience stationary cycling exercises in an immersive AR environment, while exploring an expanding array of AR apps.

Sunglasses-inspired design

The Nreal Air glasses have been developed with style in mind. With a classic, sunglasses-inspired lightweight design weighing only 79 grams, they are easy to wear with a set of nose pads for comfort. Nreal’s latest glasses are ideal for the 55% of Brits who claim that they had been put off by AR glasses in the past because of they were heavy and not stylish – which can make wearing them for long periods slightly uncomfortable.

Nreal Air glasses also come with a small compact carry case, which makes them easy to slip into a pocket or bag, and can be used wherever a customer uses their smartphone.

Compatible with a range of smartphones from the world’s leading manufacturers, the glasses work in conjunction with the Nreal Nebula app***, which launches the AR operating environment for the end user. Unlike most AR glasses, Nreal Air can also be kitted out with a lens frame for the individuals own prescription lenses—meaning customers do not have to use them with their normal glasses underneath.

Alistair Wilson, Director of Devices and Partnerships, EE said: “We’re working with the best content providers and the most innovative technology companies in the world to create entirely new experiences for our customers. Nreal are at the forefront of AR, and we’re delighted to be the exclusive UK partner for the launch of their new Nreal Air AR glasses. When combined with the power of 5G, it really does open up new possibilities for seamless streaming and access to new types of content on the move – these are really exciting times for mobile.”

Peng Jin, Co-founder of Nreal, said: “We’re delighted to enter the UK market in partnership with EE and we look forward to building up the AR ecosystem together. At Nreal, we’re passionate about bringing AR into consumers’ everyday lives, which will start a revolutionary transformation just as the internet once did. AR will transcend the current mobile experience, especially when it comes to watching videos, exercising, and playing PC and cloud video games. As we continue to enrich the AR ecosystem with each update and upgrade, consumers will enjoy more mind-blowing digital innovations and experiences blended into everyday life.”

Pricing and Availability

EE will launch the new Nreal Air AR glasses later this spring, with full pricing and availability to be announced in due course. Customers wishing to register their interest can do so at www.ee.co.uk/coming-soon

-ENDS-

Notes to editors:

*Equates the Air’s view with a 130-inch virtual screen from 4 meters away or a 201-inch virtual screen at 6 meters.

** Research conducted by One Poll – 1,000 nationally representative adults.

*** Full list of compatible handsets available in the UK to be released at launch

Key Nreal Air specs:

Form factor

·       148mm x 52mm x 159mm (opened)

·       148mm x 52mm x 60mm (folded)

·       3-Position adjustment for optimal gaze angle

·       Head width from 120-186mm

Power

·       Up to 5 hours video streaming in Air Casting mode

Weight

·       79 grams

Display

·       OLED

·       3840 by 1080 pixels with sRGB 108% color gamut, 8-bit depth for 16.773 million colors

·       Up to 400 nits perceived brightness

·       100,000:1 contrast ratio

·       ~46 degree FoV, 49 pixels per degree (PPD)

·       130″ at 4m (Air Casting Mode), 201″ at 6m (MR Space Mode)

·       Fingerprint resistant coating, anti-reflective coating

Audio

·       2 open-ear speakers

·       Dual microphone array, omnidirectional MEMS microphones

·       Bass boost, virtual rendering

·       Echo cancellation, noise cancellation, beamforming, speech enhancement

Position tracking

·       3DoF head tracking

Controls and sensors

·       Screen on/off button

·       Screen brightness adjustment button

·       Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer

·       Proximity sensor

Accessories

·       Detachable cable

·       Prescription-lens frame

·       3 nose pads

·       Case

·       Cleaning cloth

·       Light shield

For more information, please contact:

[email protected]

0207 792 7468

About EE

EE runs the UK’s biggest and fastest mobile network, offering superfast connections in more places than any other operator. EE brought the first 4G network to the UK in October 2012 with it continuing to be the UK’s biggest 4G network and launched the UK’s first 5G network in May 2019.

EE has received extensive independent recognition, including being named the UK’s best network every year since 2015 for all the following awards: The Mobile Choice Awards, The Mobile News Awards, The Mobile Industry Awards and by RootMetrics®.

As well as offering mobile services to consumers and small and medium businesses, EE also provides home and business broadband using both 4G and fixed line connections.

EE is committed to being number one for service in the industry. Its retail presence exceeds more than 600 shops across the UK. EE remains the only mobile provider to answer 100% of customer calls in the UK and Ireland and was recognised as the UK’s Best Large Contact Centre by the UK Customer Experience Awards 2018 and Welsh Contact Centre Awards 2019. EE was awarded The Sunday Times’ Best 100 Companies to Work for in 2018 and 2019, as well as being named Best Employer 2018 by the European Contact Centre & Customer Service awards.

EE is part of BT’s Consumer business unit which provides products and services to all of BT’s consumer customers in the UK.

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About Nreal

Founded in 2017, Nreal is leading the world with transformational impact of AR, starting with a brand of consumer AR glasses sold at global scale. Widely recognized for its superior display technology and product design, Nreal has established partnerships with more than 10 world-renowned carriers and brought its product to 6 countries to date.

Nreal first received worldwide recognition when it debuted Nreal Light in early 2019, the first ever AR glasses for consumers. Not only did it feature a revolutionary design, it was also the first AR glasses connected to the mobile content ecosystem. To date, Nreal has over 300 employees and is backed up by reputable VC firms and industry leaders, including Alibaba, Kuaishou, NIO Capital, Yunfeng, Sequoia China, Hillhouse, APlus, CICC Capital, Shunwei Capital, CPE, China Growth Capital, iQIYI, etc.

To learn more about Nreal, visit https://nreal.ai

Source: EE Newsroom