HoloPet Trademark Registration Triggers Talk of Virtual Pets Future in Hololens

The Microsoft Hololens presentation at the recent Build 2015 Developer Conference included a holographic pet dog that reintroduced the concept of the virtual pets fad from the 90s.

Now that reports that Microsoft has applied for trademark registration for the "HoloPet," tech circle talks are again barking about the future of virtual pets.

The reported trademark application describes the product as a "computer software; operating system software; virtual reality software; computer software, namely, software for setting up, operating, configuring, and controlling wearable hardware and wearable computer peripherals." The application was filed under the "Goods and Services" category.

The Microsoft Hololens virtual reality dog "Fang" shown in the Build demonstration has brought forth ideas that aside from common pets such as cats and dogs, other non-pets such as mythical dragons and endangered species can be now part of an augmented reality.

In addition to this wide array of pet possibilities, real-life concerns about pets such as triggers to allergies can now be set aside. How about a pet that never grows old or dies? The virtual pet can also be used by parents to teach young children how to care for pets even before they can have their real-life dog or cat.

Microsoft Hololens is a virtual reality headset that presents high definition holograms of augmented realities. The head-mounted device has been introduced as the untethered holographic computer that does not need to be wired to a gaming console, a smartphone, or a gadget and "turning what was once science fiction into science fact."

The augmented reality device received positive reviews for its user-friendly features and powerful processor now running on the new universal Windows 10. The device is not yet available for consumer use but a market release is expected in September 2015.

Speculations for Microsoft Hololens recreational applications for the gaming industry are also being talked about in anticipation of the Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) in mid-June.