Microsoft is building a 'mixed reality' empire with Windows — and Samsung is in

Microsoft beat Apple in the world of desktop operating systems because it allowed many manufacturers to make Windows PCs. Now the company thinks the same business model will help it dominate "mixed reality" — its name for the HoloLens headset tech, which can handle both augmented reality (think Apple's ARKit, where you get to see digital objects in the real world) and totally enclosed virtual reality (think Oculus Rift). 

A huge boost for the world-conquering-with-allies strategy was announced Tuesday: Samsung is officially joining forces with Microsoft on a mixed reality Windows headset on sale next month. A slew of other major manufacturers unveiled pre-orders for their own HoloLens headsets, which arrive on Oct. 17 alongside a the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.  Read more...