--- title: Extended reality, explained - The Hustle description: VR? MR? AR? A guide to help sort through this alphabet soup. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/988917870-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-extended-reality_20230627225549.webp --- # Extended reality, explained ![Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) [Juliet Bennett Rylah Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/JBRylah) Published: June 30, 2023 Updated: October 11, 2023 We can barely even handle reality-reality and now we’ve got augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality? ![VR goggles](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/988917870-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-extended-reality_20230627225549.webp?width=595&height=400&name=988917870-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-extended-reality_20230627225549.webp) It all falls under one umbrella term — **extended reality (XR)** — but they’re all [a little different](https://rubygarage.org/blog/difference-between-ar-vr-mr). With Big Tech firms like Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Meta scrambling to launch new and better headsets, we’re here to break down what they mean. #### **How it works** **Virtual reality (VR)** is 100% virtual — you’re completely immersed in a simulated, 3D environment, typically using a headset. If you walk around too much, you might run into a very real wall. **Augmented reality (AR)** environments allow you to still see the real world, but superimpose digital content on top using a phone, tablet, or headset. For example: - Niantic’s Pokemon Go: players see creatures through their phone’s camera overlaid on the real world - TikTok or Snapchat filters - [SkyView](https://www.space.com/skyview-review): an app that helps users locate constellations and planets in the night sky #### **Here’s where it gets really fun** **Mixed reality (MR) **[combines](https://bernardmarr.com/the-important-difference-between-augmented-reality-and-mixed-reality/) the physical and digital worlds using a headset. For example, you might be in a virtual world, but you can physically interact with objects. Or, you might be able to see the real world but still interact with the virtual objects. - At Dreamscape Immersive locations, [players](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJjtEvT9JFk) can “pet” aliens. - [See how](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QiGYtd3qNI&t) people use Skype with Microsoft’s HoloLens. - Check out VRScout’s [breakdown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2gU8ZpnQSg) of how the Meta Quest Pro’s full-color passthrough enables MR. #### **Why do we need this?** For fun, obviously. (Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy walking around your neighborhood looking for Pikachu!) But extended reality also has myriad applications in remote work, [job training](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KuL3QMgM84), and even [surgery](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D6TKYD5v-Y). **And now: **Here’s [a cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm2vg8Jncpo) of “Virtual Insanity” done entirely in virtual reality. Topics: [Vr](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/vr) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![What’s up with Microsoft and the metaverse?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/143002262-HS-News-Brief_2022-10-26T230018.559Z.webp) ### What’s up with Microsoft and the metaverse? - ![Even with legs, VR devices face an uphill battle](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/184363740-final_size-teen20vr20use_20221017233102.webp) ### Even with legs, VR devices face an uphill battle - ![We visited a surprisingly detailed virtual Kmart](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/829165863-HS-News-Brief_2022-08-02T002303.646Z.webp) ### We visited a surprisingly detailed virtual Kmart Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. Always free. 100% fresh. No bullsh*t. 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