The Army’s future plans hinge significantly on the results of the upcoming trial. As the Army prepares to invest up to $21.9 billion over ten years in acquiring up to 121,000 IVAS units, the project faced a setback in January when Congress halted further orders of the earlier versions of the goggles due to reported issues. To address these concerns, Microsoft was granted $40 million to rework the hardware, placing a substantial responsibility on the success of the upcoming tests. Should any lingering problems persist, the Army retains the option to cancel the program, resulting in a substantial loss of a lucrative contract for Microsoft. Furthermore, such an outcome could cast doubt on the HoloLens technology itself.
Recent developments within Microsoft have also raised some eyebrows. The mixed reality division experienced significant turbulence last year following misconduct allegations against lead developer Alex Kipman, leading to his departure. Early this year, the division endured additional challenges due to layoffs, further impacting the team’s stability.
