It all gets a bit hazy as soon as you start bringing in video from the headset cameras.
But, AR is generally now meant to mean see through displays. Where as MR is cameras capturing and then reprojecting images to the display inside a light proof case.
In terms of software they basically have the same requirements, in terms of hardware, the screens don't exist yet, and the batteries don't either.
I don't think its hazy. video pass through on these headsets don't extend the VR into AR, its an ease of use function to let you navigate your environment while wearing a headset. It might be in the future cheap headsets have AR, but that not is the case today.
VR replaces your world with a virtual one. AR casts virtual things into the normal world.
Camera pass through isn't AR, the same way a security camera isn't AR just because you could potentially view it on a VR HMD. There needs to be the component of combining the normal and virtual worlds. Camera pass through is just an ease of use feature.
> Camera pass through isn't AR, the same way a security camera isn't AR just because you could potentially view it on a VR HMD.
I would suggest that this is a very modern interpretation. Pokemon go is an "AR" game, even though its camera-mediated. Wayfair has an "AR" furniture viewer, apple has "AR" feature to view the new mac mini: https://www.apple.com/mac-mini/ (search for AR)
as I said, its hazy, and its only now that laser/waveguide see through displays are possible that we can have real-world overlays.
But, AR is generally now meant to mean see through displays. Where as MR is cameras capturing and then reprojecting images to the display inside a light proof case.
In terms of software they basically have the same requirements, in terms of hardware, the screens don't exist yet, and the batteries don't either.