Microsoft has announced that its HoloLens platform is going to be opened up to the masses so that others can create their own devices.

Microsoft has also said these devices are just months away from becoming a reality we can own.

At Computex, Microsoft made it clear that the Windows Holographic platform will be opened up to third parties. That should mean that not only will the platform work with augmented reality but it could work with virtual reality also.

A demo was shown in which a HoloLens wearer created a virtual space and then invited an HTC Vive user to collaborate. This combination of augmented reality and virtual reality is being referred to by Microsoft as "mixed reality".

While Microsoft admitted openly that it is working with HTC Vive, other potential hardware partners were not mentioned. That said Microsoft is currently working on the Windows Holographic platform in some form with Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI.

Could the Windows Holographic platform become a one-stop shop for all virtual and augmented reality experiences? It's a very real possibility that could help bring the virtual worlds together and, hopefully, help advance hardware and software creation and development in the near future. Microsoft compares it to the Surface, which has since spawned numerous similar devices.

READ: Microsoft HoloLens preview