From Flat to Fantastic: Going Spatial with 2D Applications

The world of head-mounted display HMD) hardware technologies is buzzing with recent advancements, sparking a wave of fresh interest among consumers. From virtual reality VR) and mixed reality MR) to spatial computing, major tech companies and new startups alike are actively investing the launch of the next generation of immersive computing devices.

- Ed Charbeneau

This article will guide you through the rising popularity of HMDs, demonstrate how to use your existing skills for these new platforms, and explore the potential of flat applications on the Meta Quest 3.

Industry Overview Ongoing investments in HMD technology has improved it over earlier generations of hardware. New HMDs, like Meta’s Quest 3 and Apple’s Vision Pro, have enhanced the tracking, camera, and display capabilities that enable seamless mixed reality or spatial computing experiences. Using the device’s camera, the HMD displays a live view of the real world around you while positioning high resolution 2D and 3D graphics within the environment. Although 3D graphics are used for immersive experiences, you’ll find that 2D applications have found a more traditional role within HMDs. Because of the high-resolution displays, users have gravitated toward using 2D applications within the augmented environment, freeing themselves from desktop monitors. It’s still early, but HMDs are already cementing their future as office workstation replacements.

Immersive Applications and Devices

If you’ve used an HMD, it’s likely that you’ve experienced a fully immersive application. This type of app completely changes the user’s environment for the purpose of virtual reality (VR) or mixed reality (MR). The most common type of immersive applications are VR games. In a VR game, the user’s entire vision is replaced with a 3D-rendered environment and the user is completely immersed in the virtual environment.