A passenger tests Rokid AR glasses on a Hainan Airlines flight in China.
Stones
BEIJING — Hainan Airlines this week began allowing passengers on some routes to use Rokid’s augmented reality glasses for free for in-flight entertainment, the tech startup announced Thursday.
Chinese startup Rokid has claimed that for the first time, AR glasses – which allow you to superimpose computer-generated images into the real world – are being widely used on flights. Passengers can watch 3D movies, read e-books and play simple games using glasses on the built-in monitor.
It comes with Apple’s Vision Pro virtual reality headset, which is not yet available in China “travel mode” that stabilizes the movement for use in aircraft. The device allows users to see the real world using what the company calls “spatial computing” technology.
Rokid’s deal with Hainan Airlines is not a big commercial deal, but more of a marketing effort to increase consumer awareness of AR glasses, Misa Zhu, the startup’s founder and CEO, told CNBC in a phone interview on Wednesday.
He claimed Rokid was in talks with “multiple airlines” for similar partnerships, including at least one major international operator. Zhu said he was not authorized to disclose details, but expected more announcements in the next few months.
Hainan Airlines is one of China’s major flight operators and also offers international routes. The company released a short video to promote its collaboration with Rokid.
Zhu said the airline has purchased hundreds of Rokid AR glasses for passengers to use for free on more than 20 flights. Each pair sells for just over 3,000 yuan ($420) and weighs 75 grams.
By comparison, Apple’s Vision Pro costs about $3,500 and weighs between 600 and 650 grams.
Hainan Airlines first tested Rokid’s AR glasses on a commercial flight from Shenzhen to Xi’an on Wednesday, and began rolling out the devices on many other flights starting Thursday.
The initial trial is set for a month in China, which officially began on Saturday and coincides with the week-long Lunar New Year holiday when hundreds of millions of locals travel across the country.
“Airlines are very excited to be able to offer more services, and it’s very competitive,” Zhu said in Mandarin, translated by CNBC.
According to him, Rokid is in talks to incorporate its AR glasses into other transit vehicles, such as high-speed trains.